Large candy purchases investigated by FBI

Bergen NJ Record ^ | October 20, 2001 | MITCHEL MADDUX and PETER POCHNA

[spycatcher]

The FBI said Friday that it is investigating the cash purchase of "large quantities" of candy from Costco stores in Hackensack and Wayne.

"We have been advised and we are looking into the incident of a gentleman buying large quantities of candy," said Sandra Carroll, an FBI spokeswoman in Newark.

Carroll declined to identify the purchaser, but indicated that he is in federal custody for immigration law reasons not related to the purchase of the candy.

"I cannot comment on INS detainees," Carroll said.

Carroll said it would be premature to draw conclusions about the purchaser's intent for the candy, which agents had not found by Friday night. She declined to describe the candy.

"We have no evidence or information for us to suspect there is any reason to cancel scheduled events," Carroll said when asked if the FBI had concerns about the safety of Halloween. "However, the public is encouraged to remain alert but calm."

Hackensack police took a report from Costco about the candy purchase at the Hackensack store at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday. The police then contacted the FBI.

"They told us to stay out of it," said Hackensack Police Chief Charles "Ken" Zisa.

Zisa said the FBI had already learned about the purchase. A local Costco manager had reported the incident to corporate headquarters, near Seattle, and had sent a videotape from a store security camera, Zisa said.

An official at Costco's corporate headquarters said Friday night that no one was available to comment on the matter. Another Costco official, who declined to be identified, said such large purchases from the chain of wholesale grocery and household goods stores are not uncommon.

Kerry Gill, a spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Newark, said he could not discuss the case because of confidentiality policies.

[onyx]

Fake CostCo ID cards? Hard to believe since the computer at check-out would have registered not-a-valid-account. The Arabs could not have paid in cash (exceeds the 10K limit) and a cheque would have to match the CostCo ID card's account, since all banking account cheques must be on record prior to purchase.

[spycatcher]

Looks like a legit threat. If these guys owned a candy store the FBI would have figured that out immediately. This actually happened a few weeks back I think.

[Riley]

2 Arabic guys bought more than $35,000.00 dollars worth of candy, in Wayne $15,000.00 & in Hackensack $20,0000.00. After they left they found out their Costco i.d was fake

Uh-oh. I have some difficulty imagining this being a legitimate purchase. "Hey Achmed! I know, we'll gin up some phony Costco cards, and spend our life's savings on candy? Whaddaya say?"

If it is for the worst thing imaginable, I'm not sure that I see how they'll distribute it. Handing it out at the front door on Halloween is probably the most traceable and least efficient means.

[Faraday]

If this gets a wide play in the press, look for a Million Mom March calling for nuking the Middle East back to the glass age.

[BJungNan]

And why didn't the CostCo store refuse to sell it to him? Certainly if we are suspicious enough to call the authorities we can be vigilant enough to take action in the first place.

Don't be so timid people. The authorities are not going to be able to do the job alone.

If you see someone in an airline terminal set a piece of luggage down and start to walk away, tell them they can not leave that package there. If someone comes into your store and is buying quanities that are suspicious or a mixture of items that are suspicious, ask them what they want with those items. If the sqirm, are evasive or get mad, tell them to leave the store you are not selling it to them.

[gusopol3]

To: buickmackane I thought it sounded like a hoax. Then I saw the notation at the bottom of the page. Urban Legends Reference Pages © 1995-2001 by Barbara and David P. Mikkelson This material may not be reproduced without permission Just remember anyone can put anything up on the internet and someone is going to believe it. You say you never heard of Urban Legends? haha 16 posted on 10/20/01 5:00 PM Pacific by CometBaby [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

[spycatcher]

Maybe there was more to the story. Got the fake ID and cash info from snopes.com

[Sabertooth]

"That's strange. Where was the Sam's located? I doubt they would be able to detect weaponized Anthrax dust injected into the case"

Dunno if it's possible, but the bioweapon I'd fear most would be smallpox here. If the candy could be infected, the smallpox would hit a bunch of kids who would go back to school for the next couple of weeks infecting other kids.

And all of these school age kids would have been born after 1972, so they wouldn't even have an admittedly old smallpox vaccine to fall back on.

Doctors?

[Pete-R-Bilt]

" If it is for the worst thing imaginable, I'm not sure that I see how they'll distribute it. Handing it out at the front door on Halloween is probably the most traceable and least efficient means. "

Last Halloween we got about 2 dozen kids all night .

Hope each one has a one ton pickup to take their portion of
$15,000.00 of candy

[AmericanGurl]

I'm sorry, I'm not following your post to me. Is there a reason you posted that? Seriously, you lost me.

[spycatcher]

That's snopes.com who investigates and attempts to debunk Net "rumors"

Claim: The FBI is investigating the purchases of large amounts of candy from Costco stores in New Jersey.

Status: True.

[gusopol3]

what would $35,000.00 worth of candy look like in shopping carts going through the checkout stand? Hope they didn't leave their semi in a handicap spot.

[calypgin]

Between the email/internet Halloween mall rumors and this, the intent of the terrorists is to disrupt this holiday, making us all fearful to let children participate. Disruption of our lives and our economy. This amounts to yet another nuisance (along with the anthrax "nuisance", which has totally absorbed the media and our manpower) - meant to distract us? Like the anthill, if someone digs on one side, all the ants run to the point of attack, leaving the rest of the hill vulnerable.

IMHO, it's important that we start putting these things in perspective, lest we let our system by overrun by BS which will render us helpless against the next - and more deadly - move by our enemies.

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

Quote from the article... "Hackensack police took a report from Costco about the candy purchase at the Hackensack store at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday. The police then contacted the FBI."

"They told us to stay out of it," said Hackensack Police Chief Charles "Ken" Zisa.

The arrogance of the FBI lately is beginning to show, this is like the third or fourth story related to these events where the FBI has told the local LEO's to go to hell...

[MissAmericanPie]

No one buys 20 million bucks worth of candy in Hackensack, do they? Did a zero get away from you? If this is true, then they plan on somehow getting these purchases onto the shelves of our local grocery stores, to be purchased by us.

Given the amount of available time, how can they manage that? And how can they get past an eagle eyed store manager to stock the shelves with tainted candy?

If this is not their plan, then they must expect to be very busy Halloween night.

[onyx]

I suspect the FBI knows the assumed identities of the Arabs, since they apparently managed to open a CostCo account for this very special purchase! Several thousands of them own grocery and liquor stores.

I am not questioning your veracity, I merely suspect that the available news is limited or perhaps even purposely misleading, so as to catch the evil-doers without driving them underground. Disinformation, I think it's called.

[poindexter]

For about a year now, Costco membership cards are also American Express credit cards.
You can put your purchases right on the card.

[gusopol3]

sorry--you are right--I have become a disruptor without intending to.

[Le-Roy]

I don't recall where it was located, and I can't seem to find the article now. Tried a 'google' search and went through twenty pages...nothing. I believe it should still be here, though. Don't even recall any of the particular posters on that thread, to search for it that way. I'm going to bed soon. Will check back more on this tomorrow.

[onyx]

Yes, I know, I have one, but it still has to be valid and it is pre-authorized by CostCo.