An employee of Mr. Vape Shop, opened last August, was one of three retailers charged. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Employees of three downtown Red Bank smoke shops were arrested Thursday and charged with selling restricted products to an underaged buyer as part of a police investigation, Captain Mike Frazee announced Friday.
An employee of Dynasty Smoke was also charged. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Arrested were:
• Muhammad A. Nawaz, 35 years old, of Moonachie, an employee of Mr. Vape Shop at 26 Monmouth Street
• Paramvir Singh, 21, of Morganville, employed by Elite Wellness at 16 West Front Street
• Melissa Tobar, 18, of Red Bank, employed by Dynasty Smoke at 160 Monmouth Street
Each was charged with two counts of selling flavored tobacco or THC vaping products to an officer who was under 21 years of age, Frazee said in a prepared statement. All were released on special complaint summons pending court, he said.
The arrests followed an investigation Thursday by the RBPD’s specialized Criminal Investigative Unit, Frazee said. The probe targeted six borough shops that police “had received complaints about or have seen juveniles entering or leaving the stores on a regular basis,” Frazee said.
“Today’s children and young adults are very vulnerable and therefore it is our job to help keep them safe while in our community,” Frazee said. “Addictive products such as tobacco and THC items that are offered for sale are very attractive to children and therefore it is our job to enforce the law and crack down on businesses that make them available.”
Three shops were found to be complying with the law, said Frazee. They were Monmouth Convenience, at 22 Monmouth Street; Welsh Farms, at 110 East Front Street; and Smoke Theory, at 65 Broad Street.
Frazee said the three should be commended “for doing their job by making it more difficult for anyone under the legal age to possess these products.”
Working the investigation were Lieutenant James DePonte, Sergeant Sean Hauschildt, Detective Paul Perez, Investigator Mike Zadlock and Special Officer Liam Broderick.
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