Turlock smoke shops busted for selling marijuana, flavored tobacco products. How to report
Black-market marijuana and illegal flavored inhalants and tobacco products for sale were found when Turlock police served a search warrant Tuesday at a smoke shop on Lander Avenue near Sixth Street.
The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, which is responsible for inspecting businesses and ensuring that all tobacco products are bought and sold legally, also was involved in the investigation, according to the Turlock Police Department.
“As fentanyl becomes more prevalent within communities, it is important that we ensure untested and unregulated black-market marijuana is not accessible to youth and unsuspecting consumers,” Turlock Chief Jason Hedden said in a news release.
Here’s what else the investigation found, and how to report illegal marijuana or tobacco sales:
Turlock police perform compliance checks at smoke shops
The City of Turlock received a report of illegal marijuana and flavored tobacco sales at the Lander Avenue shop, according to the release.
California businesses were barred from selling flavored tobacco products in December 2022, following the passage of a new state law.
In addition to the search warrant executed at the Lander Avenue business, investigators checked other smoke shops around Turlock to check for illegal product sales, the release said.
In a recent Q&A with The Modesto Bee Editorial Board, Stanislaus County Sheriff Jeff Dirkse said the department knows a lot of illegal marijuana lands in legal dispensaries.
Turlock City Hall personnel hand-delivered cease-and-desist letters to businesses that were out of compliance, according to police, which notified the stores that their business licenses could be at risk.
Police said 10 businesses were visited, where seven seizures occurred and six citations were issued. Investigators will pursue charges for the illegal sales.
“As we were approaching some of these businesses, word had spread of our operation and employees had removed illegal products from stores,” Sgt. Joey Rodriguez said. “The Turlock Police Department will continue to conduct compliance checks to ensure businesses continue to follow state laws and local ordinances.”
How to report illegal product sales in Stanislaus County
In Turlock, reports of illegal sales can be made to the Police Department’s drug line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6117, according to the release. Residents can also contact the department’s tip line at 209-668-5550, ext. 6780, or by email at tpdtipline@turlock.ca.us.
Reports that require a police officer should not be made through the GoModesto! app, which allows residents to otherwise report community issues, according to the City of Modesto. Instead, residents should call non-emergency dispatch at 209-552-2470.
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