Two Men Arrested in Cigarette Sting

Two men were arrested Friday after they allegedly tried to buy several cases of stolen cigarettes for liquor stores from undercover officers in Oxnard and Port Hueneme, according to authorities.

The arrests of Thayhour Ly, an employee of Goode Liquor in Oxnard, and Harry Manwani, owner of Surf Side Liquors in Port Hueneme, ended a six-week investigation, police said. In that time, undercover officers had attempted to catch various liquor stores, restaurants and bars buying stolen cigarettes.

Both suspects were being interviewed by police Friday night and had not yet been booked into the county jail. They were expected to be charged with receiving stolen property, officers said.

A dozen undercover officers were involved in the sting, including Oxnard police and investigators with the state Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC).

Authorities said that Ly, whose son owns the store, had bought several cases of cigarettes from undercover officers, paying between 50 cents and $1 a pack, as opposed to the normal cost of about $3.50 a pack, said Ed Macias, a state ABC investigator.

On Friday, authorities arrested Ly after he met with undercover officers at Goode Liquor, at 1271 Saviers Road, and allegedly offered them $5,800 for five cases of cigarettes. The street value of the cigarettes is about $15,000, Macias said.

Manwani, owner of Surf Side Liquors at 405 E. Port Hueneme Road, was arrested when he allegedly offered undercover officers $400 for four cases of cigarettes during a meeting Friday afternoon, Macias said.

Macias said Manwani had also bought cigarettes and alcohol from undercover officers during the past few weeks.

“Since cigarette taxes have gone up, [buying stolen cigarettes has] become more desirable,” Macias said.