Latest news with #DepartmentofConsumerProtection
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
107 pounds of cannabis products were seized from a CT store. The business lost more than that.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has issued two summary suspensions to a smoke shop in the state after officers allegedly seized from it 107 pounds of cannabis products, including what were reported to be illegal THC edible products. The Department of Consumer Protection said credentials were suspended at the shop, which prohibits all e-cigarette, vape and lottery sales immediately. The SN Smoke & Vape, located at 665 Honeyspot Road, in Stratford was suspended following a search and seizure conducted by the Stratford Police Department on April 29. A message seeking comment was left at the store. Business owner Anas Chwiki was arrested and charged with sale of 1 kilogram or more of cannabis and supplying a controlled substance without a license. Confiscations of allegedly illegal materials sold at smoke shops have become a regular occurence in the state; in addition to being illegal, such products are not necessarily inspected or tested for safe use by consumers, as are cannabis products sold in stores licenced by the state to do so. According to state data, Connecticut had $2,828,675 in legal cannabis sales in the week ending April 30. The total number of products sold legally was 81,412, the data shows. It was a drop from the previous week, when 153,912 products were sold legally, the data shows. Police: CT smoke shop inspections lead to seizure of 'significant quantity' of THC products The Department of Consumer Protection said in a statement about the Stratford store that 'the alleged possession and sale of illegal drugs by the agent demonstrate a lack of integrity and dishonest behavior and present an ongoing threat to lottery customers visiting the store.' 'The credentials held by SN Smoke do not authorize them to engage in the sale of the illegal cannabis products. The authorization of a credential is not a recommendation, it is the law. Any deviation from what a credential allows is illegal and unacceptable.' DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement. 'SN Smoke clearly poses a threat to the public safety of its patrons and community. The suspensions demonstrate the continual action to stop illegal operators in Connecticut. Thank you to the Stratford Police Department for their efforts.' The shop's Lottery Sales Agent license was initially issued on Jan. 6, 2021, and had been renewed annually and set to expire until March 31, 2026. The Electronic Cigarette Dealer registration was initially issued on June 15, 2020, and has been renewed annually, with the current permit set to expire on Feb. 28, 2026. According to the summary suspension order from the Department of Consumer Protection, 'Stratford police identified and seized the equivalent of 107.546 pounds of marijuana products, which were comprised of illegal THC edible products, illegal THC vape products, illegal THC beverages, and marijuana products. 'Some of these products were packaged in a manner appealing to children. Others, including those that were appealing to children, contained total THC hundreds or thousands of times above the amount allowed by law,' the order stated. Police confiscate 10 pounds of marijuana, cash, edibles from Hartford smoke shop The report also stated that the police seized $4,355 in cash. The funds were believed to be the proceeds of the alleged sale of the illegal goods, the report said. The suspension order regarding the lottery license said, 'the alleged possession and sales of illegal drugs by Mr. Chwiki from the premises demonstrate a lack of integrity and dishonest behavior in violation of Section 12-568a-5(e)(3) of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies. These actions seriously impair SN Smoke's reputation for honesty and integrity as a Lottery Sales Agent and present an ongoing threat to lottery customers visiting the store.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Haven smoke shop's registration suspended after persistent illegal cannabis sales
EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Planet Zaza has been ordered to suspend electronic cigarette sales, according to Department of Consumer Protection officials Thursday. The business' Electronic Cigarette Dealer registration was suspended effective immediately. RELATED: AG Tong: $4.93 million penalty against Planet Zaza for illegal cannabis sales The suspension comes after officials say the business failed six compliance checks conducted by DCP's Drug Control Division and East Haven police over the last two years, following allegations the business was illegally selling cannabis to minors. Officials said officers have seized hundreds of illicit cannabis and THC products from the property since May 2023. The most recent investigation included THC products with counterfeit labels targeting children such as Peeps, Game Boy, Crayola, and Nerds. 'It is illegal for Electronic Cigarette Dealers, often referred to as vape or smoke shops, to sell cannabis. We expect that all license holders act responsibility and follow the law,' DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement. New Haven enforcing new ordinances around smoke shops In May, Attorney General William Tong said he secured a $4.93 million judgment against Planet Zaza and its owner, Mohamed Alraishani, in his personal capacity, following the persistent illegal cannabis sales. Tong first sued Planet Zaza and Alraishani in January 2024 for violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act after multiple unannounced inspections conducted by the Department of Consumer Protection and Office of the Attorney General found numerous high-THC cannabis edibles. Investigators also discovered unauthorized labels, including fake prescription labels, falsely indicating that the store was a licensed dispensary and that the illegal products were medical-use cannabis. The products were not produced in a licensed facility or tested in accordance with state law, and many contained youth-appealing packaging. Authorities cracking down on unregulated marijuana sales in Connecticut shops On Nov. 12, 2024, the judge issued a temporary injunction ordering Planet Zaza and Alraishani to cease illegal sales, but they ignored the court's order. Plant Zaza's Electronic Cigarette Dealer registration was first issued in December of 2022 and it's current registration is set to expire in February of 2026. Concerns about a registered Electronic Cigarette Dealer in the State of Connecticut can be reported to DCP's Drug Control Division at (860) 713-6065, or by emailing Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
AG Tong: $4.93 million penalty against Planet Zaza for illegal cannabis sales
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Attorney General William Tong announced Thursday the largest civil penalty ever imposed in Connecticut for illegal cannabis sales. Attorney General Tong said he secured a $4.93 million judgement was levied against Planet Zaza of East Haven and its owner, Mohamed Alraishani in his personal capacity, following persistent illegal cannabis sales in spite of a court order and repeated law enforcement visits. Attorney General Tong first sued Planet Zaza and Alraishani in January 2024 for violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, after multiple unannounced inspections conducted by the Department of Consumer Protection and Office of the Attorney General found numerous high-THC cannabis edibles. Investigators also discovered unauthorized labels, including fake prescription labels, falsely indicating that the store was a licensed dispensary and that the illegal products were medical-use cannabis. The products were not produced in a licensed facility or tested in accordance with state law, and many contained youth-appealing packaging. On Nov. 12, 2024, the judge issued a temporary injunction, ordering Planet Zaza and Alraishani to cease illegal sales, but Planet Zaza and Alraishani ignored the court's order. The court this week ordered Planet Zaza and Alraishani to pay $5,000 for each of the 621 days they willfully violated CUTPA, and $25,000 for each of the 73 days the defendants violated the court's temporary injunction, for a total civil penalty of $4.93 million. 'The State of Connecticut is not playing around. Legal cannabis is not a free-for-all. If you are unlicensed, if you sell untested, unregulated cannabis, we will find you and we will hold you accountable,' Attorney General Tong said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Authorities cracking down on unregulated marijuana sales in Connecticut shops
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — A statewide crackdown on illegal cannabis products has yielded hundreds of pounds of contraband and is spurring state Attorney General William Tong to push legislation that would dedicate more resources to go after dealers. On Thursday morning, Tong held a press conference in East Hartford to urge lawmakers to pass a bill that would establish a statewide task force to go after illegal cannabis operations and would make it a Class E felony for a cannabis shop to sell cannabis, synthetic cannabis, or cannabis paraphernalia to anyone under the age of 21. State lawmakers advance tax proposals In recent months, state and local authorities have joined forces for a series of high-profile sweeps of smoke shops that were discovered to be selling illegal, unregulated cannabis products. Late last year, a sweep of eight businesses in Stamford nabbed 135 pounds of illegal cannabis product. A similar string of raids in Danbury earlier this month led to the discovery of 55 pounds of contraband. Those investigations, Tong said, are indicative of a much broader black market for illegal cannabis. 'I think in any town or city across Connecticut, if you walk into a smoke shop, more likely than not, you are going to see illegal products being sold,' Tong said. Many of the products seized in the raids are packaged with familiar, brand-name graphics. Some are nearly indistinguishable from everyday snack foods, while others borrow color schemes, fonts and logo schemes that look very similar to popular brands. In addition to possibly being laced with other drugs, Tong said the products often have levels of THC that are much higher than is allowed in the state's legal market — a market where products are subject to chemical testing to ensure safety. 'So, what happens when a five-year-old, a seven-year-old, sees a Cheetos bag on a kitchen counter, doesn't know any better and eats the whole thing?' Tong asked at a press conference on Thursday. 'They don't just get sick, they go to the hospital.' The proliferation of illegal cannabis products packaged with logos familiar to children has led Tong to take a variety of actions to crack down and raise public awareness. His office collaborates with local law enforcement agencies and the state's Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to plan and conduct raids. DCP has jurisdiction over the state's alcohol, tobacco and cannabis rules. Tong also appeared in a televised public service announcement with Bryan Cafferelli, the head of DCP, calling attention to the misleading packaging used on black market products. Efforts to strengthen enforcement against illegal cannabis sales have support on both sides of the aisle. State Sen. Steve Harding, the leader of the Republican caucus in the State Senate, said, ''If you're seeing a problem, and you're seeing it pop up time and time again, we have an obligation to address it.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Yahoo
Department of Consumer Protection warns of new jury duty scam
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The Department of Consumer Protection is warning of a scam involving missing jury duty and paying fees. According to officials, scammers are allegedly using phone calls and emails to notify people that they failed to comply with jury duty, demanding payment to avoid court fees, appointments or even jail time. Police warn public of Facebook Marketplace rental scam The Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost $171 million to government imposter scams in 2023. DCP says that signs of a scam include Unsolicited calls or emails demanding immediate action Demanding payments over the phone through payments like gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or peer-to-peer apps like Venmo or Paypal Messages that create a sense of urgency Threats of legal action if the victim fails to comply Asking for sensitive information over the phone DCP reminds the public that courts only communicate with jurors through postal mail, never through phone or email. Citizens are urged to report details to the FTC if they receive a jury duty scam at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
