Town of Babylon officials: Copiague smoke shop sold nicotine products to minors

The Town of Babylon and Suffolk County police executed a search warrant at the store following reports that it was selling nicotine products to children.

News 12 Staff

Nov 8, 2022, 2:35 AM

Updated 779 days ago

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A Copiague smoke shop was busted Monday afternoon for allegedly selling vape products to minors.
The Town of Babylon and Suffolk County police executed a search warrant at the store following reports that it was selling nicotine products to children.
Town officials tell News 12 they were tipped off to the store after a school resource officer caught 9- and 10-year-olds with vape pens allegedly purchased there.
They say with the help of Suffolk police, they made three undercover buys of nicotine vape products and THC-laced edibles by a minor, including one made to look like a bag of chips.
The town says at least one person at the store was arrested Monday.
Officials showed News 12 a photo of what appears to be a bulk amount of marijuana ready for distribution found inside the store. They say Suffolk narcotics detectives will now take over the investigation.
"They found a few bags of marijuana inside and they'll take that back to the precinct, along with the clerk who was working behind the counter," says Babylon Councilman Terence McSweeney.
Recreational marijuana or THC products are not allowed to be sold in New York yet and town officials say they are not supposed to be sold to minors.
They say the smoke shop was also operating too close to Great Neck Road Elementary School and did not have a license to operation in the town.
"They just opened up on their own - they didn't get any permission from the town - no permits were put in," Rosario says.
Suffolk County police tell News 12 a search warrant was executed at the location.
Babylon officials say the owner of the store and the landlord of the strip mall could face thousands in fines.