By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
Calls from multiple community members helped lead Hays police to a Hays smoke shop earlier this month, where officers allegedly seized about 209 pounds of kratom and a large amount of THC products.
Hays Police Detective Chris Hancock said officers executed a search warrant at 8:52 a.m. Aug. 3 at VIP Smoke Shop, 4325 Vine St., No. 40, Hays.
No arrests have been made at this time, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Hancock said the investigation began after the police department received information from community members that allegedly THC and marijuana products were being sold at the business.
Detectives went to the store to investigate for themselves and were later allegedly able to obtain some of the product. Hancock said a field test allegedly returned a presumptive positive result for the presence of THC.
Based on the investigation and test results, the Hays Police Department applied for a search warrant.
“The important thing about a search warrant: A judge found probable cause to believe that a crime was being committed in that store,” Don Scheibler, Hays police chief, said. “He then issued that search warrant.”
Hancock said about seven days passed between the initial investigation and the execution of the search warrant.
Hancock said employees at the business were cooperative.
Inside the business, Hancock said officers seized 209 pounds of alleged kratom, a large amount of alleged THC products and glass smoking devices. These products include glass pipes, bongs and other devices.
The seizure came just over a month after a change in Kansas law made kratom a schedule I controlled substance. The change took effect July 1, making kratom no longer legal for consumer sale in Kansas.
Scheibler said the timing of the law change is important in this case because VIP Smoke Shop allegedly received the illegal products after the new law was already in effect.
“I think the important thing to understand here: this was passed and these items were then shipped in after that,” Scheibler said. “It wasn't like they were on the shelf already, and suddenly the law changed.”
“People have to be aware that things that may be legal in other states are not legal in Kansas, and there's consequences for distributing illegal drugs,” he said. “People can be held accountable for that, just like in this case.”
Scheibler added, “I encourage people who sell these types of items to take a hard look at their shelves, to make sure they're in compliance with state law. If they're not, they need to make sure they're taking steps to correct their behavior.”
Scheibler said selling illegal substances carry criminal consequences as well as potential civil ramifications, including Kansas drug tax requirements.
Hancock also cautioned products advertised as containing a legal level of THC do not always match what laboratory testing ultimately finds.