Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday provided insight Monday into an investigation that began in March 2025 and resulted in the seizure of more than $18 million and dozens of pallets of marijuana-laced products from warehouses in Plum and Eastern Pennsylvania.
“What we are dealing with here is truly a statewide organization,” Sunday said at a news conference in North Huntingdon. “The warehouses were in Western Pennsylvania (Plum), Southeastern Pennsylvania (Bensalem) and Northeastern Pennsylvania (Pittston), with storefronts scattered all over the commonwealth.”
According to a grand jury presentment released this month, investigators said schoolchildren throughout Pennsylvania were found in possession of illegal narcotics purchased in local vape shops, including one in Mt. Pleasant and another in Gibsonia.
A Westmoreland County mother testified last year before the grand jury her 4-year-old child was hospitalized after ingesting THC-laced candy bought at a local vape shop, according to the court filing.
In January 2025, Sunday said, a Chester County traffic stop resulted in the arrest of one of a dozen people charged in the case. Police said the man was hauling a load of THC products intended for convenience stores and smoke shops. In March 2025, consumption of similar products by children in Westmoreland County was traced to storefronts later connected to the organization.
“From there, we worked up the chain and found a massively profitable criminal enterprise,” Sunday said.
Eventually, investigators from multiple local, county and state law enforcement agencies were able to locate the three warehouses, where search warrants were served in September 2025.
“From those warehouses, we seized more than 40 pallets of illegal products,” Sunday said, holding up a shiny package of blue raspberry gummies with bright, iridescent pink and blue colors in the design. “Who is this packaging designed to attract? Children. We also learned about how they moved money under LLC fronts so it would not be detected and traced to illegal proceeds.”
Sunday said one bank account in the name of OHM Distributor was holding $5.5 million, and in total, investigators froze $18.7 million. At the outset, however, he said the operation started small before expanding to multiple distribution warehouses.
The investigation is ongoing, and Sunday said the recent charges were “really a first step.”
“By going up the supply chain and getting the people who are supplying this wholesale, I think that’s the most effective way because at the end of the day, our number-one goal is protecting children,” he said.
Three of those charged were from Western Pennsylvania: Divyesh Patel, 35, and Palak K. Patel, 36, both of Cranberry; and Albina Kumar, 37, of Pittsburgh. They were accused of operating a corrupt organization and related offenses.
Others arraigned Thursday include: Madhav Patel, 33, Nira A. Patel, 39, both of Moosic in Lackawanna County; Ankitkumar R. Patel, 41, of Huntingdon Valley in Bucks County; and Dharmeskumar S. Patel, 47, of Bensalem, Bucks County. Ketankumar I. Patel, 43, of Bensalem, also was charged with corrupt organizations and conspiracy. Roshniben A. Patel, 38, of Huntingdon Valley, was charged with operating a corrupt organization, conspiracy and related crimes.
They face a Sept. 23 preliminary hearing before East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore.