Police recover thousands of stolen vape pens, marijuana products
GAINES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Police have recovered thousands of stolen vape pens, hundreds of marijuana products and several guns from a metro Grand Rapids home.
Kevin Nguyen, 19, of Gaines Township, is charged with four separate felonies for selling the products. The most serious charge carries a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
In October, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Team used a search warrant to search Ngyuen’s home. According to a probable cause charging document, they found 2,000 Breeze vape pens, hundreds of marijuana products and eight handguns, two of which were stolen.
Ngyuen allegedly told investigators he knew the products were stolen from dispensaries because he bought them from people who were in jail. He admitted to selling vapes, marijuana and alcohol, according to court filings.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said he’s seen “quite a few” dispensary break-ins over the last few years. He said the businesses can be targeted because they’re cash-only and can’t obtain federal loans.
“That was something when we talked about legalizing marijuana we were concerned about as law enforcement,” he said. “That quite frankly proved to be the case.”
Investigators also said they found Glock switches inside Nyguen’s home. When attached to handguns, the devices can dramatically increase their rate of fire, essentially turning them into automatic weapons.
‘Emerging threat’: GRPD, Kent Co. deputies find Glock switches on streets
Law enforcement continue to see more of them in West Michigan. Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom told News 8 earlier this year that police chiefs around Kent County had met and flagged Glock switches as a growing concern.
“Extremely dangerous,” Winstrom said at the time. “Extremely difficult to aim even for trained individuals. So when they’re used carelessly or intentionally, there is an extreme danger for damage and collateral damage.”
Last December, nearly a dozen people were charged in a ring out of Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor.
“They pose an emerging threat to our communities, to our children, to our law enforcement officers and to anyone who stands in the path of their discriminate spree,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten in a December news conference announcing those charges.
Benton Harbor man sentenced for ‘Glock switch’ scheme
Becker reiterated that Glock switches can make guns “much more violent.”
“It is something we’re seeing more of out there,” he said. “When you seize guns and find these types of things, it leads to a more violent neighborhood and community and we’re trying to do everything we can to stop that.”
The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office has seen more dispensary break-ins over the last few years. Organized crime is on the rise since the pandemic, not just with vape-store break-ins, but with big groups committing retail fraud and stealing catalytic converters off vehicles.
GRPD seeks 18-year-old allegedly tied to 30+ burglaries
“We have seen a lot more conjunction, whether it be gangs or groups or people,” Becker said. “They’re just doing crimes together more so than in the past for some reason.”
While Becker said these cases have risen in the period since COVID, he explained that 2023 hasn’t been much different than recent years.
“(I can’t say) that this year is somehow extraordinarily different than 2021 or even 2020,” he said. “But you see these group activities a lot more than I did earlier in my career, that’s for sure.”
The prosecutor’s office does have the power to charge these cases more seriously, including racketeering continuing criminal enterprise, which carries up to 20 years in prison. Becker can also charge suspects with organized retail fraud, which can result in five years behind bars. Becker emphasized those charges can only be applied to groups participating in crime.
“One person can do all kinds of damage in terms of taking items, but you gotta be able to tie them in with other groups,” Becker said.
Becker said a lot of these cases can lead to violence, especially with stolen guns.
“How do you solve crimes when you have guns that we’re not sure how they got into that person’s hands, because there isn’t the ability to track that firearm?” Becker said. “It provides challenges for law enforcement on a number of different levels, be it enforcement or the solving of the crime.”
“And when people can get their hands on illegal firearms and maybe use the proceeds from illegal vapes for bad purposes, that creates all kinds of issues for the public as well,” he added.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
