Smoke shop owner pleads guilty in K2 ring after raid

The owner of a Columbia smoke shop pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to helping sell over $2 million in synthetic marijuana, often known as K2.

Officials believe Kevin Bay, 47, bought and resold between 214 and 482 kilograms of plant material sprayed with chemicals meant to mimic THC, the psychoactive compound of marijuana. They claim it was relabeled as Bocomo Spice and sold in his store and its other outlets between M arch 1 , 2011, to October 2, 2013.

Investigators raided Bay’s home and business near College Avenue and Wilkes Boulevard back in 2011 and found more than $630,000 in cash, jewelry, 76 firearms, ammunition as well as platinum, palladium, silver and gold bars.

Bay’s sentencing date has not been set, but he could face up to 40 years in federal prison without parole.