Police Want Public Aware Of Vape Store Suspected Of Selling To Minors

LAKE COUNTY, IL — Police in Lake County have fielded multiple complaints from parents, school officials and officers regarding Moshi’s Tobacco & Vape near Gurnee selling tobacco to minors since the business opened last year, authorities said this past week.

And this past January, after a clerk sold a tobacco product to an underage child during compliance checks conducted throughout the county by the Lake County Sheriff's Office, a two-week suspension was ordered for the business at 34491 North Old Walnut Circle in unincorporated Gurnee, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.

On Wednesday, that suspension was lifted. And police sent out an alert regarding the tobacco business again being able to sell its products.

Christopher Covelli, deputy chief with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, said authorities wanted to make the public aware due to the number of complaints police have received regarding the business.

The complaints first started coming in shortly after the business opened in 2023, he said. The exact number of complaints is not known but Covelli did say the number is "significantly higher than complaints at any other tobacco selling business."

"We have received a large number of complaints throughout the county from parents, schools, other police departments regarding this particular business selling to underage children," he said. "With the high number of complaints, we felt it prudent to alert the community that they will be reopening soon."

Authorities are asking anyone who hears of Moshi's Tobacco & Vape — or any other business in the county — selling to minors they should contact their local police department.