A local convenience store owner whose business was burglarized several times by a man in search of Za-Za has been arrested for selling that very thing under the counter, according to Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins.
Mitul Naresh Patel, 40, was arrested Wednesday and charged with possession with intent to distribute after narcotics agents learned he was allegedly selling tianeptine products. Patel owns the Country Mart, located at 5855 Highway 182.
Tianeptine, which is marketed under a variety of names, including Za-Za, was being sold in gas stations around the county before Columbus and Lowndes County banned it earlier this year.
A state ban went into effect July 1. Tianeptine is now a schedule three drug, putting it in the same category as ketamine and anabolic steroids.
Narcotics agents received tips that several convenience stores were selling Za-Za under the counter, Hawkins said. On Wednesday investigators were tipped off that Patel had recently received a shipment of Za-Za, and undercover agents bought a bottle that afternoon.
It sold for $100, double what it cost before a state ban went into effect in July, Hawkins said.
After the buy agents got a search warrant and went back to the store, Hawkins said. Agents seized several bottles of Za-Za and other products containing tianeptine, as well as $2,000 in cash, Hawkins said.
Patel was listed as still in custody at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center as of press time Thursday.
Before the Za-Za ban, the Country Mart was twice burglarized, allegedly by a man hooked on Za-Za. Joshua Clint Bolin is accused of breaking into the store on Sept. 5, 2022, and Jan. 8. During both burglaries, he only took tianeptine products.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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