Police raid vape shops in Hempfield, Murrysville

Mar. 15—Two Westmoreland County vape shops were raided Wednesday morning by police. One of the shops, District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said, was targeting children with illegal marijuana products.

The police work continued through the day as authorities photographed and collected evidence at PA Vapor on Route 22 in Murrysville and Keepin' It Glassy on Route 30 in Hempfield.

Ziccarelli said the Murrysville operation was the culmination of nearly a year of investigative work by police in Penn Township, Murrysville and Greensburg in conjunction with county detectives. Authorities said the investigation began after local high school students were found with vape and THC pens and anonymous complaints to police about minors purchasing illegal products at PA Vapor.

Criminal charges are pending in connection with the raid at the shop near the highway's intersection with Harrison City-Export Road, police Chief Tom Seefeld said.

"The search up to this point was very fruitful," he said Wednesday afternoon. "A lot of the information that we had received over time through the investigation has led us to uncover, at this business, a lot of illegal drugs as far as marijuana and THC goes."

PA Vapor had many forms of THC, which is the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, and mushroom-infused chocolate bars.

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"The shop was set up very well to partake in that illegal activity," Seefeld said.

Aiming such products toward children is dangerous, Ziccarelli said. She encouraged parents to talk to their children about the issue. An ambulance company in Westmoreland County reported at least 12 children between 12 and 16 have reported issues after consuming THC in the past year, according to information provided by the district attorney's office.

"In Westmoreland County, we welcome business, we want your business to be here and thrive. But, if you are selling illegal THC products to anyone, and specifically targeting children, we will launch an investigation, and we will prosecute you for those efforts," she said.

Seefeld encouraged any child who has experienced illegal marijuana products from PA Vapor to contact police at 724-327-2100.

"We will not put up with this in our community," he said.

Information about the state police raid in Hempfield was not immediately available. No charges had been filed in either operation Wednesday afternoon.

Both shops sell items used for vaping, their websites show. Messages seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta by email at rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter .