Joint Operation Leads to Arrests in Tippah County for “Gas Station Heroin” and Drug Offenses

Joint Operation Leads to Arrests in Tippah County for “Gas Station Heroin” and Drug Offenses

In a collaborative effort between the Tippah County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics on Tuesday, November 7, two individuals were arrested for their involvement in the sale of tianeptine, known on the street as “gas station heroin.” Other drugs, including meth, were seized at the location.

The operation took place at Tippah Lake Deli on Hwy 15 in Falkner, resulting in the apprehension of Fuad “David” Razaqi and Kymberli Wilson. They were taken into custody related to the distribution of tianeptine, a substance that was reclassified as a schedule three drug earlier this year in Mississippi. Local authorities confirmed that an undercover operation helped lead to the arrests.

During the operation, law enforcement seized a substantial quantity of illegal substances, including 1,590 dosage units of “Zaza,” 40 fluid ounces of liquid “Zaza,” 600 grams of kratom powder, 648 dosage units of kratom, 489 liquid shots of kratom, 206 dosage units of Viagra, 2.5 grams of methamphetamine, as well as two firearms and $8,811 in cash.

Mississippi had taken action to prohibit the sale and distribution of tianeptine, which goes by various brand names like Zaza, Tianna, and Coaxil. This decision followed a recent legislative move by Governor Tate Reeves earlier this year.

This action followed earlier local measures, such as the ban on synthetic cannabinoids in Ripley in June 2022 and a Tippah County ordinance in 2019, which had already outlawed specific synthetic cannabinoids in convenience stores.

According to local authorities, several complaints had been made against the Tippah Lake Deli involving the sale of illegal substances, prompting the investigation.