Nineteen people were arrested on Saturday night in Seminole County, Florida, after deputies raided a pop-up shop that was selling marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. The shop was located in a building on Winter Woods Boulevard near State Road 436, and was operating without a license or a permit.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said they received a tip from a concerned citizen about the pop-up shop, which was advertised on social media as a “cannabis farmers market”. The tipster said the shop was selling large quantities of marijuana and mushrooms, and that there were armed guards at the entrance.
Deputies decided to conduct an undercover operation to verify the tip and gather evidence. They obtained presale tickets online and went to the shop posing as customers. They were patted down for weapons and allowed to enter a small room, where they saw several vendors displaying their products on tables.
The undercover deputies bought some marijuana from one of the vendors, and then signaled for backup. Several law enforcement officers then stormed the building and detained everyone inside. They also searched the vehicles in the parking lot and found more drugs and guns.
What the Pop-Up Shop Was Selling
The deputies seized a large amount of marijuana and mushrooms from the pop-up shop, as well as other items such as THC wax, edibles, vape cartridges, and CBD products. They also confiscated several firearms, including handguns and rifles.
The deputies said the marijuana and mushrooms were packaged in various ways, some with counterfeit labels of well-known brands, and some with homemade labels. They said the quality and potency of the products were unknown and potentially dangerous.
The deputies estimated the street value of the drugs at over $200,000. They said the pop-up shop was generating a huge profit for the sellers, who were charging between $10 and $40 per gram of marijuana, and between $20 and $40 per gram of mushrooms.
Who the Pop-Up Shop Was Run By
The deputies arrested 19 people in connection with the pop-up shop, ranging in age from 18 to 52. They were charged with various offences, such as possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and resisting arrest.
The deputies identified the main organizer of the pop-up shop as Jonathan Lenoce, 29, who was also armed with a gun. They said he was the owner of the building and the leader of the network of vendors. They said he had a criminal history of drug trafficking and was out on bond for a previous arrest.
The deputies also identified two other key players in the pop-up shop as Arsenio Rivera, 28, and Alexandra Ruemmeley, 23, who were in charge of supplying the marijuana and mushrooms to the vendors. They said they found over 2,600 grams of marijuana and 28 grams of mushrooms in their vehicle, along with two guns.
The deputies said the other 16 people arrested were either vendors or customers of the pop-up shop. They said some of them had prior arrests for drug-related offences, and some of them were from out of state.
Why the Pop-Up Shop Was Illegal
The deputies said the pop-up shop was illegal for several reasons, such as:
- It was selling marijuana and mushrooms, which are both prohibited substances under federal and state law.
- It was operating without a license or a permit from the Florida Department of Health, which regulates medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
- It was violating the zoning and fire codes of the county, which prohibit commercial activities in residential areas.
- It was endangering the public health and safety, by selling unregulated and potentially harmful products, and by creating a risk of violence and crime.
The deputies said they will continue to monitor and investigate any illegal drug activities in the county, and urged the public to report any suspicious or unlawful behavior. They said they will not tolerate any pop-up shops or black market sales of marijuana or mushrooms, and that anyone involved in such activities will face serious consequences.
Maria Garcia is an award-winning author who excels in creating engaging cannabis-centric articles that captivate audiences. Her versatile writing style allows her to cover a wide range of topics within the cannabis space, from advocacy and social justice to product reviews and lifestyle features. Maria’s dedication to promoting education and awareness about cannabis shines through in her thoughtfully curated content that resonates with both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
