Born in Iraq, Ragheed aka Ray Akrawi was the first cousin and closest companion of Harry Kalasho. Inspite of being cousins, the two grew up more like brothers after Ray's father Louis took Harry in following the death of his father in a car crash which severly injured Harry's older brother Tahrir. Louis once an autoworker dabbled in a variety of interprises at one time or another owning a party store and restaurant. He was also suspected of being a member of a Chaldean crime syndicate which moved small amounts of narcotics and extorted money from the small close knit Chaldean community in the Detroit area. 3 years younger than Harry, Ray took a back seat to Harry when it came to criminal dealings but showed enough intelligence to acquire an exhaulted position within his cousin's growing criminal syndicate. By the age of 18, Ray Akrawi was incharge of a crew of 20 underlings known as Ray's boys who operated along 7 mile rd between Woodward and John R. Ray's boys supplied cocaine to mid-level dealers who inturn supplied the numerous crack houses located in Detroit. So successful was Ray in running his operation that he he purchased a custom money green Mercedes at a cost of $75,000. Ray became more active in acquiring the rings supplies from various sources following the arrest and conviction of Basil Mezy in June of 1988. Federal agents followed Akrawi as he made several trips to south Florida to secure shipments of cocaine in 25 to 50 kilo lots. During these buying trips, Akrawi would secure the deal with cash payments in the half million dollar range. Akrawi renewed the Tampa connection between the Kalasho group, Montello and Frontiera by way of a Columbian national with an import-export business in Miami. While Ray was in on the initial meetings between Kalaho, Montello, Frontiera and Hector Alvarez, he was conspicuosly absent during the final days of negotiation between the groups. This connection eventually supplied the Kalasho organization with an estimated 500 kilos a month winding through a pipeline from Miami to New York and eventually finding its way to Detroit. Federal authorities had taken note of Ray's lavish life style which included a fleet of custom cars, jewelry and a 2 week vacation to Greece while claiming to earn a mere $2,400 a year as a grocery clerk. Ray Akrawi's involvement in the Kalasho drug ring took yet another leap when his cousin was shot and killed in February of 1989. Akrawi allegedly stalked his cousins suspected killer before issuing the order which led to the murder of the suspected triggerman Raed Jihad outside of a Detroit coffee house. Ray was tried twice for the murder but never convicted. Authorities were successful however in securing an 18 month jail term for a firearms violation in August of 1990. While serving that term, Akrawi was named in a grand jury indictment which named him, his father and 7 other members of the organization with drug conspiracy. Ray along with Basil Mezy, Nick Konja and Basam Jarges amoung others were eventually convicted on the charges.
