By Kathy Chouteau
Richmond police seized a box of illegal “copycat” snacks infused with cannabis during a recent traffic stop and are advising local parents to be vigilant about keeping them out of reach from their children, according to a recent post on the department’s Facebook page.
A police officer was on the graveyard shift when he stopped a car for traffic infractions in Richmond’s Southern District and uncovered a litany of other illegal violations, including an expired vehicle registration, a lack of a valid Driver’s License and an admission that marijuana had been smoked in the car, according to police.
During a search police uncovered two guns in the car, as well as sizeable jars of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms and powder cocaine, all of which pointed to alleged illegal drug sales. Also uncovered in the traffic bust: A box of copycat chips, chocolate bars and gummy candies that resembled popular name brands, but were determined by police to be THC edibles.
“Although marijuana/THC edibles can be purchased legally in the State of California, manufacturers must follow strict regulations regarding packaging and content. The products [from the traffic stop] are ILLEGAL,” stated the RPD in its post.
The RPD said that the danger of accidental ingestion is particularly concerning for young children, who may not be able to read labels, but can recognize familiar logos and packaging.
“As children in our community return to school, we would like to remind parents and guardians to continue being diligent and paying attention to what your kids may be eating,” advised the RPD. “As you can see, these snacks look nearly identical to the snacks you may find at the grocery store.”
The occupants of the car were arrested on several firearms and narcotics-related charges and taken to the RPD jail, said police.
