Wyckoff Store Owner Sold Vaping Products To Teenagers: Police

WYCKOFF, NJ — The owner of the Quik Mart convenience store and his wife were arrested after they were caught selling vaping products to teenagers several times last month, police announced.

Anjun Dey, 52, and his wife, Shimu Gupta, 38, both of Paterson were each charged with selling tobacco/vaping products to persons under 21 years old, said Lt. Joseph Soto.

Police last month received information that the Crescent Avenue store was selling vaping products to minors. On Feb. 22, Detective Sgt. Kevin Kasak saw a minor buy a vaping product at the store. When Sgt. Kasak spoke to him, the 16-year-old from Ridgewood told him the person who sold it to him did not make him show identification, Soto said.

That same day, Sgt. Kasak confronted a 16-year-old Franklin Lakes boy who purchased a vaping starter kit from the store. The boy said he was not asked to show identification, Soto said.

Sgt. Kasak spoke with Dey and another employee later that day about selling tobacco products to people younger than 21.

When Sgt. Kasak and another officer went back to the store Feb. 26 to issue summonses, they spoke with a 16-year-old Midland Park teenager who purchased fruit-flavored vape pods from the store, Soto said. The teenager also said he purchased vape products from the store "several times in the past," using his health insurance card as identification, the lieutenant said.

When the detectives went back to the store later on, they caught a 16-year-old Wyckoff boy buying vape products there, Soto said. The boy showed his high school ID card and the store accepted it, he said.

Kasak and special agents from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury performed a surprise inspection at the Quik Mart Tuesday. The store adhered to all New Jersey regulations regarding the sale of tobacco products and Dey was again warned about selling vaping products to people younger than 21, Soto said.

Dey and Gupta are scheduled to appear in Wyckoff Municipal Court.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com