Cops Seize 100 Pounds Of Pot At Smoke Shops

(Updated) City police seized approximately 100 pounds of marijuana from three smoke shops Wednesday in a crackdown on illegal sales.

The raids took place at smoke shops on Grand Avenue and Foxon Boulevard as well as in Westville Village. The shops do not have legal permission to sell cannabis. Police said they had lots of it for sale.

At least until the police left.

New Haven police conducted the raids with the assistance of state police and the state consumer protection department.

They plan to report at a press conference scheduled for Thursday just how much contraband they confiscated and what arrests they plan to make in connection with the raids. Citizens have complained to officials about the proliferation of smoke shops in town, including complaints about marijuana sales; the state licenses cannabis dispensaries with the goal of ensuring products are safe and taxes paid.

Update: In a Wednesday afternoon press release, city police spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart wrote that police sized ​“approximately 100lbs of illegal marijuana products were seized, including edibles, vapes, concentrates and flower.”

One of the three raids Wednesday took place at Vape R Us, a newly opened smoke shop at the corner of Whalley and West Rock avenues.

Police said they confiscated approximately 25 pounds of cannabis edibles, flower and concentrated vapes at that location alone, along with similar ​“large amounts” at the other two locations.

After the police raid Wednesday, Asad Alsaidi sat calmly behind the glass enclosure at Vape R Us. All products were behind glass and plexiglass enclosures. Cabinets held an array of smoking devices. A case of classic cigar boxes seemed anachronistic amid the cacophony of animated and pop culture imagery in a store whose only negative space was the floor.

Alsaidi characterized the earlier police presence as a routine visit ​“just to check things out.” Vape R Us could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon to respond to specific questions about what police say they found.

In response to a question about community opposition to the smoke shop and to its apparent marketing to young people, Alsaidi noted that cartoon characters featured in the store are intended to relate to a generation that has come of age — that essentially grew up with the Bart Simpson character but are no longer children.

“Everybody loves The Simpsons. Everybody watch it. From the ​’80s, from the ​’90s … everybody raised on that,” he said. ​“Now, a lot of people, they don’t watch that anymore.”

The entire store space, even the ceiling, is emblazoned with posters and graphic imagery — a merger between animation and glitz that utilizes pop culture imagery to set the tone for its products.

Alsaidi said that children are prohibited from entering the shop. He said the store has no intent to sell to underage customers. A sign in the window clearly tells children and adults that the store is a smoke shop so they are not confused and enter mistakenly, he said.

“We don’t accept any kids come inside the store,” he said. ​“You could sit down the whole day and see, what kids are going to come inside? Nobody, no kids come inside. And they know that.”

He said putting ​“smoke shop” outside makes it clear. ​“If I don’t put ​‘smoke shop,’ yeah. … Kids, they gonna think there’s something else inside. But when they see ​‘smoke shop,’ they know it’s a smoke shop inside.”

He also said they don’t serve anyone without an ID.

Regarding his ​“Toys ​‘R’ Us” knock-off adaptation signage, Alsaidi said the owner is aware of the opposition to the sign, which reads ​“Vape R Us” in the same font as that of the toy store. He said the owner is working on replacing the sign, but that it will take a little time. (State business records identify the business agent of Vape R Us Inc. as Ashraf Rayshani.)

He acknowledged that his shop windows, framed by glaring color and movement by night, are a distraction. He said the shop would be turning them off in a few days as an accommodation to neighbors.

“Maybe three, four days maximum, we’re going to take the lights out,” he said. 

Alsaidi refused commentary on another smoke shop just up the street (Grab n Go), but noted that the presence of his shop adds to the tax base on a street where many shops remain vacant.

“I’m trying to help the community,” he said. ​“It’s dead, this block. … This side, they don’t have nothing. Only one restaurant here, two, one coffee shop.”

He said, personally, he can’t live somewhere with just one restaurant, one type of business. ​“I need a lot of culture to come to my side, to taste all the culture, we have a lot of people from every country, we live together. We live in United States of America — freedom. Y’all have any complaints, we can work it together.”

Dereen Shirnkehi contributed.