Hundreds of canned drinks and packets of edible gummies — products offered for sale despite containing prohibited concentrations of THC, the compound that gives marijuana its high — were seized in a second raid at a northeast Reading convenience store, Berks County detectives announced Wednesday.
A search warrant was served at NYC Convenience Inc. in Rockland Plaza on Monday afternoon as Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams was announcing the arrests of three Reading men in an earlier investigation of suspected illicit sales of THC drinks, edibles and vape liquids.
Adams said NYC and another store — The Tobacco Shop, a since-closed “smoke shop” in the 400 block of Penn Avenue in West Reading — were targeted in an investigation that began early last year because of reports that they were brazenly selling products that contained higher THC concentrations than state or federal law allows. The reports said the products were being sold to minors, some of whom became ill after ingesting them, the district attorney said.
Adams lamented that numerous convenience stores, gas stations and so-called smoke and vape shops throughout Berks and the state have illicit THC products on their shelves
Under federal and state law, products containing more than 0.3% THC are considered marijuana. Hemp — which consists of the non-intoxicating portions of the cannabis plant — is legal, but Adams said many retailers exploit confusion over the distinction to evade the law.
Adams said many retailers rely on lab reports provided by distributors that falsely claim products meet hemp standards. Those reports often come from non-accredited laboratories, he said.
He called on the Legislature to clarify the issue to, among other things, require that hemp products be certified by an accredited lab to ensure they meet hemp standards.
About $200,000 worth of illicit products from the two stores were seized for testing in September. After the lab results confirmed the products were considered cannabis, a banned controlled substance under state and federal law, investigators obtained arrest warrants Monday for three suspects.
Charged Monday with possessing and intending to deliver a controlled substance and conspiracy were Mohammed H. Abiah, 29, of the 1100 block of Rockland Street; Joshua Velez, 38, of the 1100 block of North Front Street; and Aljenis K. Reyes, 29, of the 1200 block of Schuylkill Avenue.
The defendants were committed to Berks County Jail in lieu of bail — $45,000 for Abiah and Velez, and $30,000 for Reyes — to await hearings following arraignment Monday night before District Judge Priscilla Campos in Reading Central Court.
Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams, at podium, on Monday announces the arrests of smoke shop operators accused of selling hemp products with higher than lawful THC levels, the active ingredient in marijuana. From left are Assistant District Attorney Daniel Troy, Adams, West Reading Police Chief Richard Tornelli and Chief Berks County Detective Michael J. Gombar. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE)
Shortly after 2 p.m. that day, a team of law enforcement officers was conducting a second raid on NYC Convenience, 1142 Rockland St., which was still open for business at the time.
In a follow-up release, Chief County Detective Michael J. Gombar said the search warrant served Monday resulted in the confiscation of the following:
• Approximately 400 canned drinks containing suspected THC.
• 250 packets of edible gummies containing suspected THC.
• 300 vapes containing suspected THC.
• 400 packets of suspected marijuana (1/2 gram and 1-gram packets).
• 200 packets of pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes.
• Other edibles containing suspected THC.
• Packaging material and scales.
The products had an estimated value of $60,000, officials said.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Reading police at 610-655-6116 or the Berks County detectives at 610-478-7171.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Alert Berks County by calling 877-373-9913, downloading the ALERTBERKS app, or texting ALERTBERKS plus the tip to 847411.