BELLEROSE PHARMACIST CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO BUY STOLEN CHEMICALS USED IN MANUFACTURE OF METHAMPHETAMINE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a Bellerose pharmacist on charges of attempting to buy a large quantity of what he believed was stolen pseudoephedrine, a chemical used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, commonly known as "speed" from an undercover agent.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendant as Ackbar Lakhaney, 60, of 54 Stanwood Road, New Hyde Park, who owns and operates Roots Pharmacy located on Hillside Avenue at 248th Street in Bellerose. He is charged with attempted criminal possession of stolen property and falsifying business records and faces up to four years in prison upon conviction.

According to the District Attorney, information was received by law enforcement authorities that the defendant was seeking to purchase large quantities of pseudoephedrine allegedly in order to ship it out of the United States where, it was suspected, the chemical would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Acting on this information detectives assigned to the Queens District Attorney's Detective Bureau set up a sting operation. An undercover detective, posing as a thief, told the defendant in August that he would soon be in possession of a large quantity of pseudoephedrine and would sell him five hundred bottles of the chemical for $3,200.

It is charged that yesterday afternoon the undercover officer went to the pharmacy with the chemical and that the defendant gave the detective the agreed upon $3,200. He was then placed under arrest. He will be arraigned this afternoon in Criminal Court in Kew Gardens.

The investigation leading to the arrest was carried out by United States Drug Enforcement Agents Steven Clark, Joseph Barbato and Heidi Carroll and Detective John Fitapelli of the District Attorney's Detective Bureau which is under the supervision of Chief Edward T. Brady.

Assistant District Attorney Wilbert J. LeMelle of the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau, which is headed by Assistant District Attorney Peter A. Crusco and is under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the case.