The long-term investigation began in response to complaints by parents that the stores were selling drugs to minors, said Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell.
“Undercover officers were able to go into these locations, ask specifically for the drugs, and the workers at these locations provided the drugs to them from a separate ‘stash,’” he said.
The Warren County Drug Task Force raids were at eight VIP Smoke Shops in the county, including stores in Carlisle, Springboro, Lebanon, Deerfield Twp. and Mason, the sheriff’s office posted on X, formerly Twitter, in March. Also, the task force had a search warrant for the company’s warehouse in Norwood in Hamilton County.
Fornshell and Sheriff Barry Riley said the investigation remains active and declined to talk about specifics. However, Riley previously told news partner WCPO in Cincinnati that some of the vapes sold at VIP Smoke Shop stores contained hash and THC.
All five men are scheduled to be arraigned July 18 in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
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