9 Volusia County smoke shops busted in undercover operation

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In Volusia County, an undercover operation led by sheriff’s deputies this month revealed a dozen stores that sell vape and tobacco products may have been violating the law and selling to people who may have been underage.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Nine smoke shops were busted in an undercover operation developed to mitigate the selling of nicotine and THC vapes to teens, according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office.

The operation, led by detectives with the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force, stemmed from recent information school resource deputies shared with the Volusia Sheriff's Office. As part of the operation, a 21-year-old undercover deputy visited 17 smoke shops across Volusia County and tried to buy nicotine vape products.

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Of the 17 stores – located in Daytona Beach, Edgwater, Holly Hill, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach and Port Orange – nine of them sold a nicotine vape product to the undercover deputy without asking for ID or asking for their age, according to the Volusia Sheriff's Office.

Photo: Volusia Sheriffs Office

Those stores (listed below) completed complaint affidavits which will be forwarded to the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco for administrative action.

Edgewater Smoke Shop, 810 Indian River Blvd., Edgewater
Pumpernickel Pops NSB, 1425 S. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach
Puff N’ Stuff Smoke Shop, 553 E. 3rd Ave., New Smyrna Beach
Mellow Life Smoke Shop, 5283 S. Nova Road, Port Orange
Greenaid Smoke Shop, 3813 Clyde Morris Blvd., Port Orange
Nova Smoke Shop, 771 S. Nova Road, Ormond Beach
Spark Tobacco and Vape, 1930 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach
Jaguar Smoke & Vape II, 700 Ridgewood Ave., Holly Hill
Hywaze, 1609 N. Nova Road, Holly Hill

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As for the eight other smoke shops visited by the undercover deputy, some either asked for ID or for the deputy's age and refused the sale, said they no longer sold vape products or were a wholesaler that only sells vape products to other businesses.

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"These operations will continue in an effort to encourage compliance with Florida law," the Volusia Sheriff's Office said. A similar operation was executed back in December.

Florida Statute 569.14 prohibits the sale of tobacco products, nicotine products or nicotine-dispensing devices to anyone under the age of 21. Proof of age is also required for purchase.