ATLAS - Synthetic marijuana and several vials of bath salts were confiscated Friday afternoon during a raid of a Mount Carmel Township store.
Officers with the Northumberland-Montour Drug Task Force (NMDTF) searched Choice Cigarette Discount Outlet, near the Mount Carmel Viaduct, for the drugs which are now illegal to sell, possess or deliver in the township. The board of supervisors unanimously passed the ordinance on March 25 that bans the materials there.
After an hour-long search,
officers carried out a computer tower and a bin of the designer drugs.
"Through numerous confidential sources, we were able to gain enough information to obtain a search warrant," said NMDTF Field Supervisor Todd Owens. "We want to send a message that these drugs will not be sold in the area."
Owens said the building was not seized. The owner was also not arrested. However, several charges are pending against him, he added.
The warrant was issued by Magisterial District Judge Hugh Jones. The investigating officer is Mount Carmel Township Patrolman David Stamets.
More than one visit
This is the second visit officers made to the store to address the store's possession of bath salts and synthetic marijuana.
The day after the ordinance was passed, Mount Carmel Police Chief Brian Hollenbush and Patrolman Dan Politza drove to Choice and informed a clerk of the newly adopted ordinance.
While synthetic cannabis products such as White Rhino and Dragon Eye were on display on the front counter, no bath salts were visible.
Hollenbush pointed out to a reporter the smoking pipes, bongs, pocket weigh scales and related paraphernalia on display. He noted the warning on the synthetic cannabis container: "Not meant for human consumption."
The chief previously said that Choice, which he called a "drug heaven," would have a two-day grace period to remove the items. Items removed were documented.
Later that day, a reporter called the store and asked an employee whether all banned substances, including bath salts, had been removed. The employee consulted someone away from the phone before answering, "No comment."
Hollenbush, who wrote Mount Carmel Township's ordinance, said the township can adopt such laws as long as they don't violate a state or federal law.
Fines for violating the ordinance range from $100 to $300 and/or imprisonment of up to 90 days.
Bath salts, which authorities say can be snorted, smoked, eaten or injected and can produce a high similar to crack cocaine and methamphetamine, come in tiny round containers and are known by a variety of names, such as Vanilla Sky, Hurricane Charlie and Cloud Nine, among others. When improperly used, they can lead to hallucinations, paranoia and death.