SMITHTOWN, NY – Two employees of a Smithtown smoke shop face charges after Suffolk County Police found cannabis products and a cache of illegal weapons during a routine compliance check.
The arrests took place on May 30th at Red Mountain Smoke Shop on 77 Smithtown Boulevard as part of the department’s ongoing “Operation Smoke Out” initiative. During the operation, Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers visited six locations in Smithtown. At Red Mountain, an undercover officer was allegedly sold cannabis products by an employee.
Following the purchase, police say they found a surprising arsenal of illegal weapons hidden within the store. These included 17 items, ranging from disguised weapons like cane swords to more overt weapons like throwing stars (kung fu stars) and a knuckle knife.
In addition to the criminal charges, a large quantity of flavored vapes were confiscated by police, and the Smithtown Fire Marshal issued multiple violations to the business.
Sudip Bhatta, 36, of Hicksville, and Resham Chand, 34, of Deer Park, were both arrested. Bhatta faces charges of Unlawful Sale of Cannabis and three counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. Chand is charged with the three weapons violations.
Both Bhatta and Chand were issued Field Appearance Tickets and are due for arraignment at a later date. It’s important to note that all charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This incident highlights Suffolk County Police Department’s ongoing efforts to crack down on illegal activity within the smoke shop industry. “Operation Smoke Out” specifically targets the sale of unauthorized vaping products, but this bust demonstrates the potential for uncovering a wider range of illegal activity.
As always, a criminal charge is an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
See more arrests made during Operation Smoke Out by clicking here.
Photo by Airam Dato-on.
