North Texas police chiefs, sheriff address smoke shop concerns after undercover raids in Allen
NORTH TEXAS – In early September, the CBS News Texas I-Team took viewers inside their investigation of smoke shops in Allen.
Part one showed how undercover officers and a teenage volunteer bought products at several stores.
In late August, Allen police and the Drug Enforcement Agency raided nine shops across the city. It took just a matter of hours to seize inventory and make arrests, but the operation began months beforehand.
The I-Team went inside the investigation, from the undercover purchases to the lab testing and spoke with parents who said stores were selling to their kids.
Watch part one below.
Part two explored the lab results, parent complaints and the raids that took place.
Investigators wrote up warrants for nine stores and in August they conducted a coordinated raid with the DEA, seizing products they said were over the legal limit.
Watch part two below.
Allen's police chief said smoke shops aren't just an issue in his city and his counterparts agree. The video below shows a candid conversation between Allen Police Chief Steve Dye, McKinney Police Chief Joe Ellenburg, Frisco Police Chief David Shilson, Richardson Police Chief Gary Tittle and Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner.
Watch the entire unedited discussion here:
David Sergi is a hemp attorney who represents the other eight businesses that were raided by Allen police. He sent CBS News Texas this statement:
"The actions of Allen, Texas Police Department, and the DEA are an escalation of the tactics used in other parts of the state to intimidate businesses selling legal hemp-based products.
These local, family-owned businesses are operating legally. The Allen, Texas Police Department and the DEA overstepped their authority by destroying products, taking point-of-sale systems and records, and confiscating personal computers belonging to employees.
There is a right way and a wrong way under Texas law to deal with products that may be out of compliance. They have gone down the completely wrong path and will be held accountable.
Allen Hemp Coalition represents some of the businesses targeted in the legally questionable raids. They are currently in court fighting for their right to operate legally as prescribed by Federal and Texas law. We successfully stayed a subpoena from the DEA, a subpoena that was a blatant fishing expedition."