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.

[spycatcher]

That's a cut and paste from Snopes. Looks like 15 large plus 20 large = $35,000 total.

That amount, like the fake ID and cash payment info isn't verified in this story but may in fact be true since the "rumor" itself turned out to be very true.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

It might be a bit alarmist, but I don't think I'm going to let my kids bring any candy into our home from anywhere this Halloween.
Not so much because of this story, but just on general principles with what's been going on lately.

[Hillary 666]

I just bought a bunch of candy for Halloween, too. I guess the mod squad will show up on my doorstep any time now.

[Bernard]

Twqo Arab-looking guys buy $35,000 worth of candy and the store doesn't even have any special concern about valid identification? I thought that with all the layoffs happening the more competent people would have jobs, but it looks like Clinton appointments are still in charge even at Sam's Club. This does read like a joke.

[spycatcher]

I think the FBI and Tom Ridge are trying to control all investigations of suspicious activity. They want to control the info and not scare the cockroaches away, but trap them instead.

[onyx]

The bottom line is thus: CostCo is not about to get stuck with a bad cheque or an invalid credit card purchase in the stated large sums. The transactions, however fraudulent, had to be valid in payment. No CostCo employee or manager could possibly allow a multi-thousand dollar purchase to leave the store without first confirming either the validity of the cheque or the credit card.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

Another angle to this I have not seen mentioned:

Remember those reports of Palestians, etc. celebrating in the streets on 9/11? I seem to recall that there was a mention that part of the celebration involved giving away lots of . . . CANDY

Hmmmmmmm. . .

[The Magical Mischief Tour]

700-Pound Twinkie Stolen From Local Warehouse.

Hackensack, NJ. 10:40 p.m. EDT October 20, 2001 - Investigators are searching for a 700-pound Twinkie that was discovered missing from a northeast Hackensack quickie store Wednesday afternoon.

The Bureau of Underwater Basket Weaving has also joined the investigation as a precaution in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Twinkie belonged to the storeowner Ahmed Ibrahim Mughassil Ali Saed bin Ali Houri Ibrahim Salih Mohammed Yacoub Abdelkarim Hussein Mohammed Nasser and his brother Fred. They were stolen sometime between Saturday and Tuesday night from Ahmed’s Truck Stop at North Beltway 8 and Lockwood.

Bureau agents said that the Twinkie is considered harmless, but are curious as to its whereabouts due to the upcoming Halloween Holiday.

Investigators told Freeper News that they don't believe this incident is terrorist-related, but they are taking it seriously because of the size of the Twinkie that was stolen.

They have gathered some evidence from the scene, but they have no leads at this time. What worries investigators is that the suspects will have the ability to consume all of the Twinkie.

The company said that they reported incidents like this in the past, but investigators are on heightened alert since the attacks.

[blam]

"Point taken but don't put it past the bastards to hand out poisoned candy to the kids. I couldn't imagine sept 11 either."

Nah. They'll poison the candy and distribute it back into many stores across the country. They want you dead. They want a lot of us dead. They also want us to panic.

[spycatcher]

Thanks. If the Sam's info is true too, I wonder if these guys were also planning to return this purchase with some "secret sauce" added. Makes more sense than distributing the candy to hundreds of swarthy males to hand out on Halloween.

[poindexter]

The card was probably stolen, used immediately, then discarded. If the picture on the back
was as bad as the one on my card, any male and half the females on the planet could have
used it without suspicion.

[sockmonkey]

If candy were somehow tainted, distributed to a network, who in return, either handed it out, or placed bags on store shelves, heck they could just leave it in a basket in the store, and it would make it's way back to the shelf, they could do horrible damage to us.
Pre 9/11, I wouldn't have thought such creatures existed, but now I wouldn't put anything beyond what certain people are capable of doing, and doing it with glee.

[Hildy]

Think of this unbelievable scenario...They buy the candy, then spike it, return it and other people buy it. Oy Vay. I'd be interested to know what kind of candy. There's alot of candy that would be easy to open and then close back up.

[spycatcher]

That's why a manager might approve a large cash sale rather than have customers walk out the door. Probably just thought they owned a candy store. Don't forget the terrorists used valid credit cards too. Who knows? The FBI is keeping info close to the vest.

[jws3sticks]

I did not see this on the string, but Trick or Treaters beware!

[APBaer]

"Large candy purchases investigated by FBI"

Perhaps it's "Chester the Molester"?

[SEA]

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

Question for the "Justice, not Revenge" crowd: What should we do with people who mail deadly diseases to people and who have, appearantly, a plan to poison your children next week?

My answer: the Arabic language should become the official language of Hell.

[APBaer]

"I've noticed others purchasing large amounts of candy. Who should I call?"

Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig?

[danielobvt]

I thought that with all the layoffs happening the more competent people would have jobs, but it looks like Clinton appointments are still in charge even at Sam's Club.
You apparently think that layoffs would cause only the competent people to be left. You forget that just as big of a component is how well you kiss ass(become a boss's lackey and he will probably find a way to keep you).
But this does give me another reason not to eat candy(although I generally only eat it when its free(miss dot coms))

[Riley]

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.

I think you'd need one of those humungous dump trucks like they use in copper strip mining- the ones that are the size of a three story house. You can see them miles away. Jackie Chan destroyed a bad guy's hacienda with one once- wish I could remember which movie. :-)