Crime & Safety
Nearly 108 Pounds Of THC Products Seized From Smoke Shop: Stratford PD
Police conducted a compliance check after learning Stratford middle school students were buying vape pens from smoke shops in town.
STRATFORD, CT — An employee was arrested and police said nearly 108 pounds of illegal cannabis and THC products were seized from a smoke shop in Stratford earlier this week.
The Stratford Police Department Narcotics, Vice and Intelligence Detectives, along with State of CT Department of Consumer Protection officials, State of CT Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services officials and State of CT Department of Revenue Officers, conducted compliance checks for the illegal sale of THC/cannabis on April 29, according to Capt. Jerry Pinto.
Pinto said before conducting the compliance check, detectives were notified by a Stratford Police Department School Resource Officer that multiple Stratford middle school juvenile students were found to be in possession of vape pens.
Find out what's happening in Stratfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It was learned that Stratford middle school students were buying these vape pens from “Smoke Shops” within Stratford, according to Pinto.
“The process to purchase a vape pen from a student was described to the SRO as follows: student/seller would take the payment (money) from the student/purchaser while inside the school building and during school hours,” Pinto wrote in a news release. “The student/seller would then meet the student/purchaser after school, off of school grounds and hand over the vape pen that had already been paid for inside the school.”
Find out what's happening in Stratfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
NVI unit detectives, along with officials from the other assisting state agencies, entered the Stratford News Smoke & Vape Shop around 11 a.m. on April 29 to conduct the compliance check, according to Pinto.
After the investigation, Pinto said 49-year-old Anas Chwiki was arrested on charges of sale of more than 1 kilogram of cannabis and supplying a controlled substance without a license. He was released on a promise to appear in court on May 15.
Detectives seized 107.546 pounds (48.892 kilograms) of illegal THC products along with $4,355 cash from the Stratford News Smoke & Vape Shop.
See also:
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
