NORWALK, Conn. — Three vape shops in Norwalk were caught illegally selling cannabis products this week, and one man at each business was arrested, according to a release Friday from the city’s police department.
Beginning on Monday, members of the Norwalk Police Department’s Special Services Division partnered with the state’s Drug Control Division to investigate three smoke shops in the city. The effort is part of an active joint investigation into non-licensed cannabis sales and the sale of products that contain more than the legal percentage of THC.
The Special Services Division also received complaints about the sale of vape and tobacco products to minors as well as the sale of marijuana and other items containing high THC levels such as edibles.
The three shops that were searched were Sono One Stop on Washington Street, R&R Smoke Shop and Convenience on Main Street and VP Snack and Soda 108 Varieties and Deli on Connecticut Avenue.
According to police, 45-year-old Norwalk resident Mohamed Ali Zaiden was arrested at Sono One Stop. He is charged with use or possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of illegal sale/manufacture of cannabis. Zaiden’s bond was set at $6,500, and he is set to appear in court on Jan. 29.
Items seized from Sono One Stop include pre-rolls, THC flower pouches, scales, numerous baggies commonly used for packaging drugs, THC vape products, THC resin products, THC edible products, pounds of edibles and flower products and $691 in cash.
At the R&R Smoke Shop and Convenience store, police say Abdellahi Ahmedou-Touh, 23, of Norwalk, was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell one kilogram or more of cannabis, sale of one kilogram or more of cannabis, use or possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal sale/manufacture of cannabis. Ahmedou-Touh was given a $150,000 bond and a court date of Jan. 29.
Police say they seized multiple items from the R&R Smoke Shop and Convenience Store. Among them are illegal THC vape products, illegal THC edible products, vacuum seal bags, empty aluminum packaging baggies in various brands commonly used for packaging cannabis products, marijuana flower cannabis, pounds of edibles and flower products and $1,565 in cash.
Police announced that they arrested 34-year-old Bronx, N.Y. resident Mohamed Salem Yaghla at VP Snack and Soda 108 Varieties Deli and charged him with possession with intent to sell one kilogram or more of cannabis and illegal sale/manufacture of cannabis. Yaghla’s bond was $6,500, and his court date is Jan. 28.
At the VP Snack and Soda 108 Varieties Deli, police say they seized illegal edible THC products in various brand names and packaging, pounds of edibles and flower products and cash amounting to $1,473.
Norwalk police say the investigations into the illegal actions of the vape shops are ongoing.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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