SMITHFIELD, Va. — Multiple vape stores in Smithfield have been closed Monday as a result of a narcotics investigation, according to the Smithfield Police Department.
Alonzo Howell, chief of police for the Town of Smithfield, said a search warrant related to the sale of marijuana was served at 1005 South Church Street, the location of Planet Tobacco and Vape.
Howell said he received a complaint that juveniles were sold vapes and they were alerted to the possibility of marijuana being sold. The police department conducted a 4-month undercover investigation as a result.
Howell said the search warrant was served without incident, and marijuana was found on the premises. Arrest warrants were obtained and some people have been charged.
Monday afternoon, police provided a list of the locations, people charged, and how much marijuana was seized:
Planet Tobacco and Mart (1005 S. Church St.)
Tobacco and Vape (1921 S. Church St.)
Discount Tobacco and Vape (1264 Smithfield Plaza)
Tobacco and Vape (13404 Benns Church Blvd.)
In total, $39,465 worth of marijuana was confiscated, and police are still working to identify any additional violations and potential suspects.
The stores have been shut down by the town, Howell said.
“We take each complaint that we receive very seriously, as a result, we conducted the investigation which led us to the execution of said search warrants,” Howell said. “Marijuana is legal within the state of Virginia, however the sale of marijuana is illegal and we take the sale of marijuana very seriously.”
There are no legal marijuana dispensaries in the city of Smithfield, officials said.
The narcotics investigation was conducted Monday with multiple agencies, including the Virginia DMV Law Enforcement Division, the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police and the Isle of Wight Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
