Synthetic drugs can be found all over Mid-Missouri
An Eldon smoke shop and alcohol store is still open Wednesday after it was deemed a public nuisance.
Tuesday we were at Puff N Snuff when police raided the store leaving with large containers of evidence.
On Wednesday police have talked about what happened Tuesday, but the Miller County prosecuting attorney, Matt Howard, said he is expecting criminal charges soon.
He said the store has been involved in selling synthetic marijuana.
Wednesday ABC 17 News learned the other synthetic drugs can be found all over Mid- Missouri.
Boone County detective Tom O’Sullivan said there are several stores in Boone County the Sheriff’s department is keeping their eyes on that could be selling those types of drugs.
He would not tell ABC 17 News the names of the stores, but that they are smoke shops and convenience stores.
Detective O’Sullivan told ABC 17 News his department is seeing a significant decrease in bath salts.
However, synthetic marijuana can still be found.
“It’s being sold at different commercial entities. Problem is they keep changing the formula. If we buy some and send it off to the lab, six months later we aren’t really sure what’s in it,” said O’Sullivan.
Some stores are getting around selling these drugs by labeling them not for human consumption.
“It is a cat and mouse game, that is part of the problem. Every time you make one formula illegal they come up with another one,” said O’Sullivan.
One solution Detective O’Sullivan said is getting the FDA involved, making sure all products are tested and FDA approved before they can be sold.
“I think they see it as a money making enterprise and if it’s not being challenged or we can’t prove it’s an illegal substance, they are going to continue to do it and make money off of it,” said O’Sullivan.
When ABC 17 News was at Puff N Snuff Tuesday several people we spoke with said they would go to Holts Summit to get their synthetic drugs.
Holts Summit police told ABC 17 News that a year ago they had a problem with one store, but since the undercover investigation believe no stores are selling these drugs.
Holts Summit police did say there could be illegal activity at one store in Callaway County.
The Callaway County Sheriff’s Department has yet to get back to confirm that.
