10 arrests, more than $1M in illegal vape products seized during ATC led investigation

BATON ROUGE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — A four-week investigation involving multiple state and federal agencies leads to ten arrests and more than $1 million worth of illegal vape products being seized.

According to the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, Louisiana State Police and federal Homeland Security Investigations made the arrests.

Three Shreveport-Bossier vape shops were investigated. NBC 6 News crews were there weeks ago as authorities were at the Vapes ‘R’ Us location on North Market Street.

Also investigated were two 318 Cloudz locations on East Texas Street and Beene Boulevard. A vape shop in Baton Rouge and two in Lafayette were also part of the investigation.

According to ATC commission Ernest Legier, Jr., Jamal Rahamn and Jaji Mansoor Ebrahim were arrested at the Vapes ‘R’ Us location for possession of schedule one narcotics.

The ATC says the tens of thousands of illegal and unauthorized products seized include:

• 34,000 pens, pods and juices
• 16,000 CBD gummies, liquids and pre-rolled cigarettes
• 6,500 containers of nitrous oxide (N2O)
• 800 schedule I narcotics, including marijuana, tianeptine (“gas station heroin”) and psilocybin
• 1,500 tainted sexual enhancement products

The permits of all six businesses involved have been suspended.