[AP/KWMU] Fourteen people have been indicted in St. Louis on charges of using convenience stores to trade in stolen goods and contraband cigarettes, sending the profits to groups in the Palestinian territories. Five stores were raided Tuesday as part of an alleged racketeering organization and at least nine people were arrested, authorities said. All are of Palestinian origin, though some are American citizens. The indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway, said that since 2000, the organization profited from bank and wire fraud, receipt of stolen property and sales of contraband cigarettes.
2008-10-16 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive