LAKE – Detectives obtained search warrants and subsequently visited five smoke shops – “Cheaper Cigarettes” on Lakeshore Drive, “Cheaper Cigarettes” on Olympic Drive, “Ed and Linda’s” on Lakeshore Drive and two “Smoke on the Water” locations in both Lucerne and Nice.
The shops were illegally selling glass meth pipes and, at two of the stores, employees sold glass pipes to undercover detectives before the raids.
A total of 803 glass pipes and 3,812 Nitros Oxide canisters along with their “crackers” and balloons for inhalation were all confiscated.
Authorities are planning to press charges of 11364.7(a) for selling paraphernalia and 381(b) for distribution of nitros oxide.
4 guns were also confiscated during the course of this operation.
Sheriff Martin says, “The methamphetamine epidemic that plagues our community contributes to countless quality of life issues, and brings additional crime to our neighborhoods. Our deputy sheriffs and police officers work around the clock battling the effects of drug abuse in Lake County. We will take every action available to ensure that commercial dealers of paraphernalia are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
