Search warrants executed at Greenfield businesses
The Greenfield Police Department executed three search warrants simultaneously on three gas stations in the village Wednesday afternoon, following an investigation into the alleged sale of of K2, or "spice."
Ohio banned the substance - which had also previously been known as "legal pot" - in October 2011.
According to Greenfield Police Chief Tim Hester, the search warrants were executed at the Greenway Gas Mart, 203 N. Washington St., North End Mini Mart, 950 N. Washington St., and West End Sunoco, 1006 Jefferson St.
"In each of the locations officers found packaged substances for sale that are suspected of containing the illegal material," according to Hester. "The substances, along with other evidence, were seized and will be transported to the Ohio Bureau of Identification and Investigation (BCI) for analysis. No charges have been filed at this time. Once the laboratory analysis is complete, the case will be referred to the Highland County Prosecutor for review."
In 2010, prior to its ban in Ohio, Hester spoke to The Highland County Press regarding K2, and warning parents of its dangers.
"Basically, what it amounts to is that it's a synthetic compound of THC, which is the drug element of marijuana," Hester said. "But all the other things that are mixed in with it, those are the unknowns ... that's part of the danger."
Hester said Wednesday that Greenfield has seen a recent increase in the use of K2, particularly in juveniles.
"In the past few months we've been seeing it more and more," Hester said. "We've been encountering juveniles in possession of it."
While some states do not have individual bans on the drug, Hester said that it has been placed on the federal list of banned substances.
"I think most folks are completely aware that it is illegal," Hester said. "And the folks we dealt with today were aware that it had been outlawed."
The "product" comes in commercial packaging when it is sold. Hester said that whenever lab tests are conducted, the substance is not always consistent with the ingredients listed.
"It is definitely not a safe alternative to marijuana, or anything else," Hester said. "When we send it to get tested, it comes back with different ingredients, and contains several other things that are not listed on the package. The mixture is different from batch to batch, so folks really don't even know what they're ingesting."