SC grand jury indicts Midlands vape shop owners, claims made of $77M in products
South Carolina’s statewide grand jury issued indictments tied to a Midlands raid where marijuana and high-potency THC products — disguised as legal hemp — were seized from distributorships and vape shops, according to the state attorney general’s office.
The indictments, announced Thursday, stem from “Operation Ganjapreneur,” a drug-trafficking investigation that led to searches and seizures on Dec. 9, 2025, according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Across all targeted distributorships, authorities seized around 30,000 pounds — about 15 tons — of allegedly illegal product, which the attorney general’s office estimates had a street retail value of nearly $77 million.
The indictments involve two businesses, including Dab City Warehouse, LLC and its related vape shops, and Jay’s Head Shop and Wellness Center LLC, the release said.
Dab City operators — Shazan Ghani, Zeeshan Ghani and Haad Hassan — face hundreds of counts including trafficking marijuana 100 pounds to 2,000 pounds, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to the release.
Wilson said lab testing conducted by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has found most products tested so far from the two businesses were illegal.
“261 of the 270 brands of product tested so far from these businesses came back hot,” Wilson said in the news release, referring to products that allegedly tested positive for marijuana or illegal levels or forms of THC.
During the Dec. 9 search of the Dab City warehouse, law enforcement recovered more than 400 pounds of marijuana, 60 pounds of THC vapes, 900 pounds of THC edibles and gummies, and more than 80 pounds of substances described as magic mushroom extract, the release said.
The new indictments are unusually detailed, naming each brand that investigators say was openly sold and later tested by SLED. Prosecutors allege some products contained marijuana or illegal amounts or types of THC, and some allegedly contained a psilocin analogue, the release said. In many instances, the attorney general’s office said, the delta-9 THC content was at least triple the legally permissible limit.
Wilson’s office also noted the three men had already been indicted in December 2025 on trafficking and distribution charges tied to products allegedly ordered for and destined for Dab City locations.
Jay’s Head Shop operator, Jay Kalin Jr., was also indicted after authorities seized more than 10 pounds of allegedly illicit THC products from the business.
Kalin was indicted under on one count of trafficking marijuana by conspiracy (10 to 100 pounds) and multiple possession-with-intent-to-distribute counts involving marijuana and THC, the release said.
As with Dab City, the indictment lists specific brands that investigators say tested “hot,” including both brands also found at Dab City and additional products such as Zour Stasch, Hollyweed, High Potency, Sour OG Kush, STIIZY, HiXotic and SLUggeRS, according to the release.
‘Marketed to resemble candy’
Law enforcement leaders framed the cases as part of a crackdown on highly potent products they say are being marketed to young people.
“These drug traffickers sought to peddle these products to anyone who would buy them,” SLED Chief Mark Keel said in the release. “In turn, they were directly profiting off the backs of our children.”
State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney S. Creighton Waters said the products seized were not comparable to marijuana sold decades ago and were marketed as “very intoxicating,” with some allegedly designed to look like candy, cookies and snacks that appeal to teens and children.
The investigation involves the attorney general’s State Grand Jury Division, SLED and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from multiple federal, state and local agencies, including HSI, the FBI, the Lexington and Richland County sheriff’s departments, Columbia police, and others, according to the release.
The cases will be prosecuted by assistant attorneys general Jennifer McKellar and John Conrad, along with Waters.
