CELINA — A man was arrested for an expired visa during an underage tobacco and vaping operation in the Northern Miami Valley on Monday.
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The Celina Police Department conducted compliance checks on Monday, October 20.
It resulted in multiple businesses being found in violation of underage sales laws for tobacco, vaping products, and alcohol, according to a Celina Police spokesperson.
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During the operation, Alaa Bilal Shahin, a 20-year-old Palestinian national, was arrested for allegedly selling tobacco products to an underage person.
It was discovered that Shahin’s visa had expired, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a detainer on him, the spokesperson said.
During the operation, four out of five businesses licensed to sell tobacco and vaping products in Celina sold to underage informants.
Additionally, two Marathon gas stations were found to have sold alcohol to minors without checking identification.
The noncompliant businesses included Remedie’s Smoke Shop, Puff-n-Stuff, Epic Vapes, and VIP Smoke Shop. The Grand Lake Smoke Shop was the only business that properly checked identification and refused to sell to minors, the spokesperson stated.
All individuals involved in the unlawful sales are facing charges related to underage sales, and reports will be forwarded to the Ohio Investigative Unit for review and potential administrative sanctions against the businesses.
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