Six Teaneck Storeowners Charged For Sale Of Vape Products To Minor

TEANECK, NJ — After receiving complaints from residents about the illegal sale of vaping products to minors, Teaneck police detectives conducted an undercover operation using a confidential underage buyer to see if township stores were in compliance. Every store entered — six in total — the person was sold vaping and / or THC products without anyone verifying their age, Chief Glenn O'Reilly said Monday in a news release.

Each of the six storeowners were charged in the sale of vaping / THC products to a person under 21 years of age, a petty disorderly persons offense in New Jersey.

Not only is it unlawful in the state to sell such products to underage persons, it is also illegal to sell flavored vaping products. During the investigation, detectives also seized over 6,000 flavored vaping items, which are scheduled for destruction.

"Thanks to the work of the Teaneck Police Department, summonses were issued, products were seized and establishments that sold products illegally were able to avail themselves of their day in court," Teaneck Councilman Keith Kaplan, who helped refer the issues to the police department for review, said Tuesday in a Facebook post. "Fines have since been assessed."

The following is a list of the township stores that sold to the underage person, and the offenses:

All the Smoke at 167 Cedar Lane — sold flavored vape

Fog City Smoke Shop at 502 Cedar Lane — sold flavored vape and THC edibles

Mr. RJ Convenience & Smoke Shop at 1440 Queen Anne Road — sold flavored vape and THC edibles

iPuff Smoke Shop at 1402 Teaneck Road — sold flavored vape and THC edibles

Absalom at 223 Degraw Avenue — sold THC, possibly imitation THC

Best Stop at 540 Cedar Lane — sold flavored vape and THC edibles

"Sell your products — just not to our kids. Or you'll see what happens next time," Councilman Kaplan said, adding that the random undercover operations "will be repeated" at some point in the future.