Owner of Florida sushi restaurant accused of operating drug house out of business

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The owner of a Japanese sushi-style restaurant in west-central Florida is accused of running a drug house out his business, authorities said.

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Hai Thanh Bui, 40, of Pinellas Park, was arrested Friday at 3 a.m. EDT and charged with 21 counts, according to Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office online booking records.

Bui was charged with one count of operating a drug house, four counts of dealing in stolen property, two counts of trafficking powdered cocaine, two counts of possession of the drug MDMA (Ecstasy), one count of trafficking cocaine, one count of trafficking oxycodone, one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, one count of possession of Adderall, one count of selling Ecstasy and seven counts of felonious possession of a firearm, online records show.

According to an arrest report from the sheriff’s office, deputies conducted a search at Oishi Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi in St. Petersburg at around 1:22 a.m. EDT, WFLA-TV reported.

Deputies said undercover agents conducted drug purchases from Bui, according to the television station.

During their search, deputies discovered a safe that contained about 750 grams of cocaine, 985.5 grams of MDMA, 65 grams of ketamine, 10 grams of Adderall and 20 grams of oxycodone, WFLA reported.

A recreational vehicle on the property contained several firearms including two rifles and six handguns, the arrest report stated. Since Bui was convicted in 2004 on an MDMA distribution charge, having firearms in his possession was also a felony, the television station reported.

Bui remains in the Pinellas County Jail pending trial, online records show.

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