Suffolk County Police have launched a targeted crackdown on smoke shops selling vapes to minors in a month-long initiative that has already resulted in over a dozen arrests. This comes after a spate of failures by businesses during check-ins.
“The SCPD routinely conducts checks of businesses to make sure they are in compliance with the law,” said a police spokesperson in an emailed Q&A with the department.
The SCPD spokesperson said that around 30% of businesses failed to adhere to legal regulations during their routine checks. The result from these failures was to create an initiative known as “Operation Smoke Out.”
In collaboration with the County Executive’s office, the SCPD initiated the operation this month to ensure businesses comply with the law and curb underage access to vaping products.
See arrests made during Operation Smoke Out by clicking here.
Since the start of Operation Smoke Out on May 6th, the SCPD has made 14 arrests related to underage vape sales. While there’s no specific estimate available for the quantity of seized products to date, the operation aims to send a strong message. Multiple photos with hundreds of confiscated vape products have been released by the SCPD already.
This full-court press operation signifies the SCPD’s commitment to stamping out underage vape sales and protecting youth from the potential harms of vaping. Operation Smoke Out serves as a proactive measure to ensure businesses follow the law and prevent minors from accessing harmful products.
The public can report complaints related to underage vape sales themselves by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS or submit tips online at P3Tips.com.
Photo: SCPD
