Bellmore store forced to close, employees accused of selling THC products

A Bellmore store was forced to close Thursday when four employees were arrested and accused of selling THC products.

News 12 Staff

Sep 29, 2022, 11:33 AM

Updated 572 days ago

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A Bellmore store was forced to close Thursday when four employees were arrested and accused of selling THC products.
According to detectives, officers executed a search warrant at Bellmore Cigars, Vapor, Lotto Store located at 2825 Merrick Road.
It was determined that Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) gummies were being sold at the location.
During the search, large quantities of Tetrahydrocannabinol and U.S. currency was recovered.
It is the second store in a two-week span that was forced to close due to allegedly selling drugs. An East Meadow convenience store was accused of selling drug-laced candy bars before being shut down by the town.
Police arrested Dinesh Venkata, 47, of Queens, Ujaval Darji, 27, of New Jersey, Aashutosh Kinra, 22, of Merrick, and Krunal A. Patel, 26, of Wantagh on Wednesday.
Venkata has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a controlled substance.
Darji has been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Kinra has been charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a controlled substance. Patel has been charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a controlled substance.
The town received numerous complaints about the Bellmore vape shop for years.
"It's just been a frequent location for people to come and go and a hot spot with the kids so I figured something was going on," says Dorothy Powell, of Merrick.
There is no word yet when or if the store will be allowed to reopen.


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