MONTGOMERY — Law enforcement seized “significant quantities" of drugs and drug paraphernalia from hemp shops across the state this week, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).
ALEA special agents, in coordination with the Alabama Attorney General's Office and numerous local law enforcement agencies, executed search warrants at several retail locations in Troy, Enterprise, Clanton, Montgomery and Wetumpka on Monday.
According to an ALEA spokesperson, the operation was the culmination of an investigation that spanned over several months following numerous complaints regarding certain CBD specialty stores and vape shops violating current, long-standing marijuana laws. The search warrants resulted in the seizure of large amounts of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, which are currently being inventoried, according to ALEA. ALEA also seized cash from the stores during the raids.
“We now have the ability to bring these materials back to an ALEA facility and determine the THC content for a presumptive analysis,” Chris Inabinett, ALEA State Bureau of Investigation director, said at a press conference on Friday. “I want to be clear: this is not an attempt to target small business owners and put them out of business. These search warrants were the results of numerous complaints from concerned citizens received by law enforcement and became a public safety concern for us. Products with these high levels of THC can easily be mistaken by young people or consumed by individuals unaware of the risk. They impair your ability to drive and lead to failed drug tests at work even if the product is marketed as legal.”
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said on Friday, “This is not a seizure of hemp. This is a seizure of illegal marijuana.”
“Let’s make it abundantly clear: this is not hemp. This is marijuana and when field tested for purposes of probable cause THC levels exponentially higher that would otherwise be lawful under the farm bill. This is an illegal marijuana operation despite the labeling despite what maybe be represented. This is illicit drugs and as opposed to going to a local drug dealer to buy your marijuana, this was going to a storefront. Either way it’s illegal activity,” he added.
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