Delaware State Police

Superintendent Colonel William D. Crotty

Joint Drug Investigation Leads to Arrests for Felony Drug Offenses

Date Posted: Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

Graphic titled “News Release Kent County” featuring a Delaware State Police Chevrolet Tahoe parked in a crop field with farming equipment in the background. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left with Kent County highlighted in blue, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

Graphic titled “News Release Kent County” featuring a Delaware State Police Chevrolet Tahoe parked in a crop field with farming equipment in the background. A silhouette map of Delaware appears on the left with Kent County highlighted in blue, the text “BecomeATrooper.com” on the bottom center, and social media icons are shown at the bottom right corner.

The Delaware State Police have arrested 25-year-old Maddyan Ata, 34-year-old Mohamed Lamar, both from Magnolia, Delaware, and 20-year-old Alex Gomez-McDowell of Dover, Delaware for felony drug offenses following a joint drug investigation with Delaware Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, and the DEA.

Beginning in June of 2025, detectives from the Kent County Drug Unit and Delaware Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement (DATE) began investigating Ali Baba Smoke Shop, located at 2131 South Dupont Highway in Dover, and Liberty Happy Gas Station, located at 50 West Birdie Lane in Magnolia for suspected large-scale distribution of drugs. Throughout the investigation, detectives identified Maddyan Ata, Mohamed Lamar, and Alex Gomez-McDowell as the suspects and obtained warrants for their arrest. On March 4, 2026, detectives executed search warrants at the smoke shop and gas station that led to the discovery of the following items:

Ali Baba Smoke Shop

Approximately 255 pounds of marijuana and marijuana products (THC vapes)
Drug paraphernalia related to the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana
Fake urine used to mask drug use and defeat drug testing
Approximately 1,818g of OPIA 7-hydroxymitragynine pills

Liberty Happy Gas Station

130 Viagra pills
2 digital scales
Drug paraphernalia

Ata was taken into custody at Probation and Parole without incident and taken to Troop 3. He was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on a $249,300 cash bond.

Maddyan Ata

Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of a Controlled Substance, Tier 3 (Felony) – 2 counts
Distribute, Deliver, Sell, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Drug Masking Product (Felony)
Maintaining a Drug Property (Felony)
Criminal Nuisance Conduct or Maintain Any Premise, Place, Resort for Unlawful Conduct
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Lamar was taken into custody at Liberty Happy Gas Station without incident and taken to Troop 3. He was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.

Mohamed lamar

Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony) – 2 counts
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Gomez-McDowell was taken into custody at Ali Baba Smoke Shop without incident and taken to Troop 3. He was charged with the crimes listed below, arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 2, and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

Alex Gomez-McDowell

Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Felony) – 4 counts

Detectives ask anyone with information about this investigation to contact the Kent County Drug Unit by calling 302-698-8452. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.