Burlington Vape Shop Owner Charged With Selling Narcotics From Store, Police Say

In a shocking turn of events, the owner of a vape shop in Burlington has been arrested and charged with selling narcotics from their store. The Burlington Police Department, along with the North Carolina Secretary of State’s Office and Homeland Security, conducted an investigation into local vape shops after receiving concerns from School Resource Officers about the sale of THC and tobacco products packaged to resemble commercially-branded snacks on school campuses.

To gather evidence, an undercover detective made visits to several vape shops in Burlington and purchased various products, including vape pens, cigars, gummies, chocolates, and snacks. These products were then sent to a lab for testing. The results revealed that some of the products contained illegal levels of Delta 9 THC, with an average of 20% and some testing as high as 40-89%. Additionally, 10 products tested positive for marijuana.

As a result of the investigation, search warrants were executed at several vape shops in Burlington on July 21. The owner of Three Star Tobacco and Vape, Shoaib Hamid Saleh, 20, of Burlington, was charged with multiple felonies, including sale and delivery of hallucinogenic mushrooms, defraud drug or alcohol test, trafficking in synthetic cannabinoids, possession with intent to sell and distribute marijuana, maintaining a store for the purpose of distributing narcotics, criminal use of counterfeit trademark, and operation of gaming machines. Saleh is currently being held in the detention center on a $75,000 bond.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and regulation in the vaping industry. It highlights the potential dangers of unregulated products and their impact on the community, especially when they are sold to unsuspecting individuals, including minors, on school campuses.

Authorities are urging residents to be vigilant when purchasing vape products and to report any suspicious activities or concerns to the police. This incident also raises questions about the need for stricter regulations and oversight in the vape industry to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.

Overall, this unfortunate incident emphasizes the importance of consumer safety and the need for effective measures to combat illegal activities in the vaping industry. It serves as a reminder that law enforcement agencies are actively working to protect the community and hold individuals accountable for their actions.