VICTORVILLE – Months after being alerted that selling “spice” was illegal and surrendering inventory, My Generation Smoke Shop was caught with a substantial quantity of spice on the premises and evidence of sales.
In October of 2013, San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department alerted businesses that the sale of “spice” and “bath salts,” as well as other synthetic narcotics was illegal. Store owners were given the opportunity to surrender any stock of the drugs that they might have without penalty. At this time, Ali Hasan Alsaqqa, 59, of Victorville, the owner of My Generation Smoke Shop surrendered a large quantity of spice and agreed that the business would no longer sell the drug.
After receiving information that the store was once again selling spice, detectives made contact with two store employees, Sossik Bedrosian Nayman, 53 and Sara Mae Hale, 39. This encounter led the detectives to come to the conclusion that spice was being sold.
After preparing a warrant, the detectives found a large amount of spice hidden throughout the store as well as documents and currency consistent with its sale. In total, detectives discovered 575 grams of spice and one package of bath salts. Investigators concluded that numerous individual sales transactions of spice were being conducted daily. Deputies have turned over the investigation to the District Attorney for the filing of criminal charges.
The Sheriff’s Department is currently working to get spice out of circulation and educate the community on the dangers of this and other synthetic narcotics. Spice, which is similar to marijuana, in particular is packaged with graphics and product names that appeal to teenagers. In a press release the department reports that, “The effects of spice include agitation, extreme nervousness, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, tremors and seizures, hallucinations, and dilated pupils.” The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has designated the five active chemicals most frequently found in spice as Schedule I controlled substances, making it illegal to sell, buy, or possess them.
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