FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.(WNCN)- The Fayetteville Police Department reports they served search warrants at two smoke shops in relation to an out-of-state synthetic cannabinoid investigation. Police said they found synthetic marijuana, falsely labeled CBD products and millions in cash.
On Thursday, the department said detectives and patrol officers participated in a joint operation with the Mississippi Drug Enforcement Agency. They said search warrants were served on The Candy Shop smoke shop locations on Grove Street and Cliffdale Road.
Fayetteville police said the operation originated out of an ongoing investigation by the DEA into synthetic cannabinoids in Mississippi.
According to police, a search of the locations ended with the seizure of:
- 6,000 units of products containing synthetic cannabinoids falsely labelled as CBD;
- 500 doses of substances suspected to contain synthetic cannabinoids;
- 1,000 units of homemade edibles suspected to containing synthetic cannabinoids;
- Approximately $2 million in cash.
A CBS 17 reporter visited one of those locations but staff did not want to comment on the search.
The DEA said synthetic cannabinoids are marketed as an alternative to THC, the main psychoactive constituent of marijuana. This synthetic marijuana, however is more potent and have been shown to cause side effects that are more severe than those reported from THC, the DEA said.
Furthermore, the Hattiesburg Police Department — based out of Mississippi — said it executed three search warrants in the ‘Hub City’.
The search warrants were specifically for synthetic cannabinoids that were having additional substances added to them, the department said.
All three search warrants were exercised at “Candy Shop’s” in Mississippi.
The department also made note that it “also served three additional warrants on the Mississippi coast, as well as two in North Carolina.”