Mona Mahadevan photos
Foxon Smoke Shop was open for business on Friday. The interior smelled strongly of incense.
At the front of the store, Vape R Us sells backpacks with cartoon characters next to a Dragon Ball Z-inspired mural.
Police plan to submit six warrants to state court Friday for the arrests of one owner and one employee each at three smoke shops where cops seized around 100 pounds of cannabis products during a crackdown on illegal sales.
The warrants follow three cease-and-desist orders issued by the Building Department on Wednesday that require the stores — Foxon Smoke Shop, Blue Sky Smoke Shop, and Vape R Us — to stop selling pot without a valid permit.
The order against Vape R Us also instructs the store to discontinue the “shimmering” of its illuminated window signs.
The notices, dated May 9 and posted to the city land records database on Wednesday, cite violations discovered during inspections on May 5 and May 7. The investigations were conducted by the Building Department, New Haven Police Department, and the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
According to the letters, the smoke shops violated New Haven Zoning Ordinance Section 42.6(C)(2), which mandates any business that sells cannabis products to hold a Special Permit.
Vape R Us, located in the BA‑2 Zone (Village Center Mixed Use Zoning District), was also cited under Section 60.3(c), which prohibits “flashing, shimmering, or glittering lights” on exterior-facing signs.
If the stores do not comply, the Building Department may pursue further action, “including but not limited to a fine and legal redress in a court of competent jurisdiction.”
The matter could also be referred to the city Office of Corporation Counsel and/or the Office of the Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney, who could then initiate civil or criminal proceedings.
Two days after the cease-and-desist orders were posted online, police moved to file arrest warrants against each store’s owner, as well as against three employees present at the three different shops during the May 7 raids.
City spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart declined to identify the names or specific charges filed against the arrestees, as those warrants still need to work their way through court. He did say the warrants include criminal charges, likely related to possession and possession with intent to sell, and may carry civil implications.
As of Friday, Foxon Smoke Shop, Blue Sky Smoke Shop, and Vape R Us were open for business. Staff at all three stores declined to comment.
Vape R Us was open for business Friday afternoon.
Marijuana leaves are painted all over Vape R Us's front-facing walls.
Cartoon murals like this one sit next to the store's tobacco products.
Blue Sky Smoke Shop was also open for business on Friday.
The store still seems fully stocked.
A psychedelic mural greets customers entering the Foxon smoke shop.
Reporter David Sepulveda's interview with Vape R Us Manager Asad Alsaidi on May 7.