Authorities investigating K2 sales in Shelby Township arrest 5
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By Maurielle Lue Fox 2 News Reporter
SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJBK) -- There were early morning arrests Wednesday at a CITGO gas station and Woodstock Tobacco on Van Dyke in Shelby Township as police and federal agents blew the lid off their six month investigation into the illegal sale of K2, a synthetic marijuana now outlawed in Michigan.
Only Fox 2 cameras were rolling when drug enforcement agents carried out bags and bags of evidence. One by one employees were questioned and arrested. Drug sniffing dogs barked at employee cars that were later towed away.
"Approximately $20,000 in cash. A large amount of Spice and K2, which is packaged, also in crates and boxes, that we have in the back," Shelby Township Police Chief Rolland Woelkers said at a news conference.
At the CITGO station, they said they did not have illegal drugs and asked us to leave.
Police made five arrests Wednesday after they executed four search warrants at CITGO, Woodstock Tobacco and houses in West Bloomfield and Sterling Heights. However, the road to get here wasn't easy. Early this summer, K2 was still legal in Michigan, but its danger to teens was unparalleled.
"I mean, it made me sick every morning. I kept going back to the store to buy more, even though I really didn't want to. It's just bad," said Adam Stockhoe.
Shelby Township was the birthplace of grassroots efforts to outlaw the drug. Fox 2 was there every step of the way as parents protested synthetic marijuana.
A statement from CITGO says, "The sale of substances such as synthetic marijuana and bath salts, sold under a variety of names including Spice and K2, in a CITGO-branded location is prohibited under our Marketer Franchise Agreement. Should the sales of these substances at CITGO-braded locations occur, CITGO may take such actions as it deems appropriate to protect its brand image, including debranding the location."
"It's something that obviously nobody would like in their community, absolutely not, so if it's true, hats off to the Shelby police. They did a great job," said resident Paul Lark.
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