DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit police have shut down an east side gas station after a citizen complaint that workers were selling tobacco products to minors led to an undercover operation uncovering guns, cash and illegal marijuana.
The Citgo on E. 7 Mile Road near Schoenherr Street was the target of a search warrant executed by the Detroit Police Department's Vice Unit in late July. Inside, investigators found 250 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, 17 THC vape pens, five guns — one of them stolen — and nearly $400,000 in cash.
Watch Randy Wimbley's video report below:
"We sent in undercovers. We did get a buy where they actually sold to a minor. Our Vice Unit did undercover operations and a pre-rolled marijuana cigarette was sold to an undercover officer," Police Chief Todd Bettison said.
Bettison said the haul raised serious concerns about what the business was actually being used for.
"That sounds like a stash house. It sounds like a dope — it sounds like a narcotics spot to me. This is not common," the chief said.
A young man who works at the station denied the allegations.
"We sell THCA, and everybody got it. Nobody's selling to kids. THCA is not actual weed. It's like CBD. You buy it from wholesale. Wholesale will not sell you actual weed. Everybody (bleep) got it," he said.
Bettison responded directly to that claim.
"He can tell me exactly who everybody else is, so he's snitching on them — and I can't wait to go shut them down, too," Bettison said.
Neighborhood residents said they were stunned by the bust. Cortez Blake said the business had no place operating the way it allegedly did.
"If that's what happens, then they're wrong for that. They gotta pay for that because they don't sell that stuff in their community. They bring it into our community and they sell it," Blake said.
Wayne Chambers said he never saw signs of illegal activity at the location.
"I never saw nothing like that coming in and out, so it's just an amazing shock to me," Chambers said.
Chambers added that the involvement of children made the situation especially troubling.
"I don't know if — say so if they've done it or whatever. I'm just... you know, anything that's got to do with kids, I don't like when they're dealing with kids," Chambers said.
The shutdown is part of DPD's ongoing crackdown on businesses illegally selling tobacco, vaping and marijuana products. Over the past year, Detroit police have shut down more than 30 smoke shops and roughly five gas stations, including one caught selling cocaine.
With the new school year approaching, Bettison said protecting young people remains a top priority.
"When it comes to our youth, our minors, school is about to start. The DPD is going to make sure that we're protecting our babies, and you don't get to do that in the city of Detroit to our youth," Bettison said.
Anyone who believes a gas station in their neighborhood is illegally selling tobacco products to minors or marijuana is asked to call DPD at 313-224-DOPE.
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