BOC denies business license for Sam's Food Mart

The Banks County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to not reinstate a business license for a Banks Crossing business after “fake pot” was found at the convenience store.

Kevin Tallent, the attorney for the business owner (Junaid “J.D.” Hameed), said a store clerk removed the K-2 from the counter after being informed it was illegal and had planned to return it to the vendor. The attorney also said the business owner had a letter from the vendor stating that the items sold did not contain illegal substances.

“If my client did anything wrong, he didn’t do it intentionally,” Tallent said.

Commissioner Charles Turk questioned why the business owner never tested the items to find out if the items contained illegal substances instead of only relying on the vendor.

“If I had the slightest idea any of this was illegal, I would not have carried it,” J.D. said.

The attorney added that J.D’s intent was not to break the law.

“He knows now he can’t trust all of his suppliers,” Tallent said.

Banks County Sheriff’s Office investigator Brian Lord testified about the items removed from the store after a search warrant was executed following a tip.

Some of the items, which were labeled as incense, were removed from behind the counter and others were removed from a back office and storage area in the store. The K-2 was found in the back office and not behind the counter.

Adam Rudolph, a forensic chemist with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, spoke on the items he tested and listed which ones contained illegal substances.