Video: Two arrested, one deported after sting operation on convenience store
Staff report
HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Bhavesh Jayantilal Amin, 57, and Kudamannage Luckshrni-Ramya Perera, 62, have been arrested for allegedly selling nicotine products to underage individuals.
On February 11, an agent from the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT) and “underage operatives” attempted the purchase of Blue Raz Ice by a minor while Perera was working at the Chevron at 18828 High Springs Main Street. Perera allegedly requested identification from the underage operatives but still sold the product to at least one underage operative, and she was arrested.
Perera had an active immigration hold issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and she was turned over to ICE on February 13.
On February 19, Amin, the owner of the store, allegedly sold a vape to an underage operative during a similar undercover operation.
Click here to watch video of Amin’s arrest from High Springs Police Department.
Both defendants were charged with providing tobacco products to a person under 21.
Amin has five misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him released on his own recognizance.
According to a social media post from High Springs Police Department (HSPD), the investigation followed numerous complaints that employees at the store were selling tobacco products to minors and alcohol to underage individuals intentionally and attracting youth from all over the area. HSPD and ABT conducted a joint undercover operation, with ABT as the lead agency for Perera’s arrest and HSPD as the lead agency for Amin’s arrest.
HSPD Chief Antoine Sheppard stated, “We have zero tolerance for anyone who sells alcohol or tobacco products to minors. We will continue working with our state partners to hold violators accountable and protect the youth of our community.”
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Durka Durka Durka yes no no yes head bobble head bobble Durka Durka Durka Head bobble thank you come again
So when I talk about what a white person does, its about race, no disparaging remarks like this, just what happened, i’m called racist.
Yet nobody has anything to say when clearly racists comments like this are made.
Welcome to the Alachua County baby. chefs kiss.
only a communist would be more concerned about the suspects everyone knows this is what these “independently owned” Kwik-E marts stores do on a regular bases among other criminal activity involving EBT so stop defending Apu.
Due to you being signal 20, I’m not going to ask you to articulate, just make sure you don’t drop your sippy cup my little special one. (hihi)
The lack of reading comprehension among the comments on this site is astounding.
My comment was about the vernacular being used, juxtaposed against comments I have been judged for.
Yet Mr. Signal 20 who clearly did not graduate high school with the ability to read at a middle school level, thought the comment was actually about the individuals in the story.
lmao, you sir are a treasure to your family and community I’m quite sure. lmaooooooo.
Well one is Iranian or Pakistani. The other is probably from India. She gets a free ride home from ICE. We will see about the other soon enough.
the guy’s Indian and the woman is SriLankan
Okay, still gets a free ride chilling with ICE.
Durk Durk Durk nobody cares about vernacular it’s like this comrade if they have a have mugshot on here then they’re free game for ridicule. If you don’t like get over it stop defending suspects and yes you are right I am a treasure.
I see your logic about being arrested, however they are innocent until proven guilty.
Fair enough, its free country and they can be ridiculed, but that doesn’t mean racist comments can fly.
I guarantee you, if I was making comments like this about whites or Jews, they would never be allowed, the moderators would stop them.
Yet when whites make openly racist comments about minorities it never gets moderated.
Again welcome to Alachua County.
If it makes you feel better comrade I goof on all people not based on the color of the skin but just the fact the have a mugshot. My question is what do you mean by welcome to AC? in case you’re new here AC is most liberal county in the area. haven’t you read the signs it’s “Where Culture Meets Nature” as opposed to the surrounding less enlightened counties that are only “Zero Drug Tolerance ” I often refer to AC as the liberal utopia of the GSSR and you don’t know how lucky you are back in the GSSR
It’s about Time and the store across from the Saint Frances shelter needs to be stop, they will allow you to buy tobacco products with SNAPS.
Alcohol is a nutrient to the people who frequent that store.
Besides some meaningful community service time, pull their alcohol and tobacco permits for a minimum of six months, instead of jail time. Costs us less and impacts the violators more.
And the Rose Store illegal activity all day and night they be all in Fairview
At least they have jobs and bring money into to the community. You, on the other hand, don’t even have a handle on grammar and punctuation.
Stores like this are a plague to the community. They sell meth pipes, sell to underage people all the time. They buy gift cards/welfare cards at half price to trade out for alcohol and tobacco. They are really hard working. Just like the idiots tgat own the store off newberry road selling cocaine. Real pillars of community.
Looks like more Bidumbdumb illegals. Some wise man once said they weren’t sending us their best.
Dang it man, I kinda liked Bob too. Sux to learn he’s this dumb and careless!
What a doofas. Clerk was busted a week prior, and dude kept selling underage. Duh, he got caught
3rd Worlders don’t believe in age limits on other things, either. That’s why we need immigration reform.