Central Kentucky man charged after police find almost $80K worth of fake Zyn
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Investigators bought counterfeit Zyn from Faris Handileh in a June 10, 2025 Kroger.
- On Feb. 10, 2026, police found 9,879 cans of counterfeit Zyn worth about $79,032.
- Handileh faces three counterfeit-IP counts and three first-degree unlawful access counts.
A Central Kentucky man was found with nearly $80,000 worth of counterfeit Zyn products after he previously sold large quantities of the falsely-branded nicotine product to investigators, law enforcement officers say.
On June 10, 2025, private investigators made a deal with Faris Handileh, 32, of Nicholasville, to acquire Zyn-branded nicotine products that were later determined to be counterfeit. Court documents say Handileh met investigators at a local Kroger parking lot and gave them 882 five-pack rolls of fake Zyn worth $3,910.
The investigators paid Handileh over PayPal, according to court documents.
Zyn sells tobacco-free nicotine pouches which have become widely popular.
A few months after the first deal, on Oct. 9, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control arranged another deal with Handileh for 718 more rolls of fake Zyn products, according to court documents. Investigators paid Handileh $3,000 for the products over PayPal.
On Feb. 10, 2026, law enforcement arranged another deal with Handileh, but this time detained him as they met him in the parking lot of the Walmart on Nicholasville Road. Court documents say they found 9,879 cans of counterfeit Zyn products worth approximately $79,032 in his home and vehicle.
Handileh told authorities he knew the Zyn products were fake during the previously arranged deals. Court documents say he also sold the fake products to numerous retail stores across Kentucky.
Handileh is charged with three counts of counterfeit intellectual property more than 100 items and three counts of first-degree unlawful access to a computer. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Fayette District Court June 15, according to court records.
