A Westbrook business owner indicted this month on drug charges pleaded not guilty Friday.
Abbas Al-Hamdany, owner of the Friendly Discount store on Main Street, was indicted by a Cumberland County grand jury for aggravated trafficking in crack. Ten years ago, he served 18 months in federal prison for trafficking cocaine. Because of his prior conviction, he’s now facing 30 years in prison for a Class A felony.
Al-Hamdany’s attorney Joel Vincent said he received the police report, but did not want to comment on the case until he reviewed the report and decided what steps he would be taking next.
With help from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Westbrook police arrested Al-Hamdany, 38, of Gorham, on Nov. 21. He was arraigned in Cumberland County District Court on Nov. 24 and released on $5,000 cash bail.
Al-Hamdany is an Iraqi refugee who was known locally as an outspoken critic of Sadam Hussein.
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