Raid At Worcester Smoke Shop Uncovers Illicit Flavored Tobacco, THC

WORCESTER, MA — The Worcester Board of Health on Monday may take action against the owner of a Park Avenue smoke shop after a recent search of the business turned up illicit tobacco and THC products.

A team of investigators including Worcester police, the state Attorney General's office, the state Department of Revenue and the Worcester Division of Public Health served a search warrant at Smoke Vibes in early February.

"An inspection of the store resulted in recovering numerous flavored tobacco products

including cigars, blunt wraps, vape products and Delta 8/THC vape products behind the counter," the Division of Public Health wrote in a letter to Smoke Vibes owner Mousa Bcharah earlier this month.

In June 2020, a new Massachusetts law went into effect banning the sale of flavored tobacco products. The new regulation, initially approved by state lawmakers in late 2019, followed an outbreak in the U.S. of lung diseases linked to Vitamin E acetate, a chemical found in a variety of vape products. Over 2,800 people died in the oubreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The city fined Bcharah $2,000 for selling those products, according to the March letter.

Smoke Vibes previously violated state tobacco laws in June when an underage undercover agent was able to products at the store. The Worcester Board of Health issued the business a warning in October for that first offense.

The health board is set to hold a hearing on the violations Monday night.