Business owner in Miami-Dade paid inspector $5,000 — and is now paying for that, police say
A Sweetwater business owner is accused of bribing an inspector after having his license revoked.
One Food Stop Market owner Bassam Al Gazawi, 45, was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery. He is being held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on $5,000 bond.
Sweetwater police began investigating Al Gazawi on April 8 after a code enforcement officer notified them. The inspector alleged that One Food Stop Market, 350 SW 109th Ave., had lost its business license because it had gambling machines hidden in the back of the store, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Hoping to expedite the reinstatement of his store’s license, Al Gazawi promised to “take care” of the inspector, authorities said. The convenience store owner then gave the inspector $5,000 cash during a series of four meetings April 29-May 14, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
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Officers obtained the recordings, videos and photos from each encounter before charging Al Gazawi.
“It’s always a sad comment on human nature when someone believes they can buy their way around the law,” State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said in a statement on Monday. “The code enforcement officer recognized this and thwarted an alleged effort to corrupt the daily business of Sweetwater. .... Residents of Sweetwater should be proud.”
