Three internet domains selling synthetic cannabinoids ("K2" or "Spice") to prisons have been seized, and ten individuals have been arrested in a nationwide operation, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
The internet domain names HerbalIncenseUSA.com, Herbal-Biz.com, and Herbal-Empire.com were seized on March 6, 2025, following an investigation into drug distribution over the internet and through the U.S. Mail.
The websites allegedly sold controlled substances, including "K2," marketed as fictitious legal mail to facilitate smuggling into prisons and correctional facilities with the help of corrupt guards. "K2" from these sites caused multiple overdoses among pre-trial detainees in the Eastern District of Texas and across the country. A drug-soaked paper sheet can sell for approximately $1,000 inside prisons. "K2" is difficult to detect due to the lack of reliable drug test kits.
The investigation revealed that the websites were the primary "K2" supplier, shipping thousands of drug parcels to the Eastern District of Texas and tens of thousands nationwide annually, generating millions of dollars in gross revenue.
The following individuals were arrested and named in two separate federal indictments:
- Rana Alrichani, 46, of San Jose, CA
- Taleen Gabriel Zakarian, 36, of Glendale, CA
- Daniela Inman, 58, of Anaheim, CA
- Ioana Harhoiu, 35, of Irvine, CA
- Ziad Tohme, 48, of Burbank, CA
- Gabriel Raad, 50, of Land O’Lakes, FL
- Daisy Chalfoun, 40, of Land O’Lakes, FL
- Luisa Shahinyan, 33, of North Hills, CA
- Harout Payaslyan, 36, of Valley Village, CA
- Manuk Payaslyan, 40, of Los Angeles, CA
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative targeting illegal immigration, cartels, transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime.
The seizures were the result of a joint investigation involving the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas will prosecute the case.
