The owner of a south Caddo Parish convenience store was arrested by deputies on Monday for the unsafe and illegal transportation of gasoline, which authorities say was to be resold at his store in Keithville, said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator.

Iftikhar Hussain, 43, owner of the General Store at 6230 Colquitt Road, was arrested by Sgt. John Hay on Monday evening as Hussain was about to fill a 350-gallon plastic container with gas at Walmart on Mansfield Road. The container, which is not approved for the transportation of a hazardous material, was located inside the passenger/cargo area of a 1995 Ford Econoline van.

"Mr. Hussain admitted transporting large quantities of gas in this container to his store on several occasions, and that's a bomb waiting to happen," Prator said.

Hussain had been under investigation by the Caddo Sheriff's Office for several weeks after Hay received a tip that he was purchasing gas from other businesses, transporting it illegally, pumping it into his underground storage tanks, and reselling it at higher prices to his customers.

Hay impounded Hussain's vehicle and issued him a citation for careless handling of a hazardous material, failure to register a vehicle, having no driver's license, and having switched plates.