Federal prosecutors have charged three men with the illegal sale of a synthetic marijuana product that has been linked to at least two deaths and 56 illnesses in Illinois, The Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Fouad Masoud, 48 and Jad Allah, 44, from Justice, Illinois, a village near Chicago and Adil Khan Mohammed, 44 of Chicago were charged with selling synthetic cannabinoids — often called K2, Spice or fake weed. Federal officers made undercover purchases of the illegal substances, marketed as “Matrix,” “Blue Giant” and “Crazy Monkey,” the AP reported.
The samples tested positive for brodifacoum, a widely used pesticide used in rat poison and highly potent anticoagulant.
This poison was present in at least three individuals who had symptoms of severe bleeding and reported using synthetic cannabinoids, the Illinois Department of Public Health said in a statement.
On March 31 and April 2, the Illinois Department of Public Health confirmed two deaths associated with severe bleeding linked to these synthetic cannabinoids.
The DOH had been investigating for over a week an “unusual cluster of cases” of severe bleeding in individuals that resulted in coughing up blood, blood in the urine, severe blood nose and bleeding gums. At least 56 people were hospitalized and identified as having symptoms related to the fake marijuana.
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