Metro confiscates hundreds of vials of synthetic drug spice

Metro raided two businesses near downtown Las Vegas on Thursday in a probe of sales of the synthetic drug spice.

The two stores — Amigos Smoke Shop at 1610 E. Charleston Blvd. and 702 Mart at 1468 E. Charleston Blvd. — sit just under a quarter-mile from each other.

Both stores had been under investigation for some time before police served the search warrants, said Capt. Christopher Darcy, who supervises Metro’s gang and narcotics bureaus.

Darcy said officers found at least hundreds if not thousands of small, pill-bottle-sized vials of the drug between the two stores. Each vial was being sold for $30, Metro said.

Police are still trying to determine if the two stores were connected in any way.

Because the manufacturers of the drug — which often looks like ground herbs — are constantly changing the chemical make-up to stay ahead of police, Darcy said, the vials still need to be tested before they decide exactly what charges to file.

Often sold as “potpourri” or “incense,” spice is smoked in a pipe similar to marijuana. The effects, Darcy said, vary greatly depending on ingredients.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” Darcy said. “They’re not incense. They’re not potpourri. It’s a dangerous chemical.”

Contact reporter Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638. Find him on Twitter: @ColtonLochhead.