West Palm Beach Gets Raided!

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Federal agents raided three Palm Beach County shops Wednesday, seizing thousands of bongs, pipes and other drug paraphernalia in an ongoing crackdown on South Florida businesses that sell such merchandise.

In an operation dubbed "Up In Smoke," federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been targeting stores that sell drug paraphernalia as part of what they say is the first recent crackdown of its kind in South Florida.

In little more than a year, officials say the federal department has raided 20 so-called head shops in South Florida, including a half-dozen in Palm Beach County. In May, officials confiscated more than $1 million in bongs, pipes and other drug paraphernalia – about 42,000 pieces in all – from a warehouse run by one of the largest distributors of such items in the nation, according to The Associated Press.

On Wednesday, the agents executed search warrants at Wonderland, 2126 Okeechobee Blvd. in suburban West Palm Beach, Grateful J's Too at 2401 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton and Flashback's Deadhead Shop at 1403 W. Boynton Beach Blvd. in Boynton Beach.

None of the owners responded to requests for comment Wednesday.

Anthony Mangione, assistant special agent-in-charge at Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Fort Lauderdale office, criticized the stores for selling drug-related merchandise he said is geared toward children.

"It's definitely aimed for the minor set," he said. "Bongs and other types of paraphernalia disguised as cartoon characters."

The department is investigating the store owners but has not charged them, Mangione said. They could face charges of distributing drug paraphernalia.

Under federal law, it is illegal to sell any drug paraphernalia, which is defined as any product intended primarily for use in preparing or consuming an illegal drug. Such paraphernalia can include acrylic pipes, water pipes, roach clips and bongs.

The law does not specifically prohibit possessing or buying such equipment, although an Immigration and Customs spokeswoman said doing so could be illegal under certain circumstances.

At Wonderland, outside of West Palm Beach, would-be customers filed up one by one to the store's front door Wednesday afternoon, only to be turned away by federal officials piling merchandise into the back of a truck.

One man, who declined to give his name, scoffed as he walked away from the store, questioning the reasoning behind the raid.

"Well that's the first I'd ever heard that," he said. "I can't put tobacco in a pipe?"

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/02/17/c3b_headsup_0217.html
 
Wow, what a waste of taxpayer money...
O, and that's bullshit, there is no grand head-shop scheme to market bongs to children, that's just stupid...
It's hilarious how in many situations like this, they resort to the 'ol "CAN ANYBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!?" bullshit....
 
Because I know many 8 year old kids who can easily pass as 18 to buy a bong, that they see in a shop, because they DO drive and don't have to worry about parents or anything that would have to see what they're buying with their large ammount of lunch money they've been saving...
 
9200 rapes a year, thousands of drunk driving accidents, yet the government thinks it's important to "raid" these headshops. if i was an owner, i'd be suing the $hit out of these people for even showing me a warrant to search the place. last time i checked, selling glass wasn't a threat to society. yeah, and by the way, i'm 23, and every time i even set foot in a head shop i get asked for id, so don't say that kids are buying these things, cause if you aren't 18, you won't even get passed the front door. let's face it, as much as i hate john kerry, at least he was lax on the chronic and saw it for what it was...a culture rather than a problem.


"this hit's for tony danza..."
 
That REALLY sucks!
Wonderland is where I have gone for YEARS to get my stuff! I was very surprised to read this! Unreal. I'm sure after this they'll close the doors. Such a shame. Definitely a huge waste of money. Apparently they just have nothing better to do, huh? :jerkit: :icon_roll

There are about 5 others close to me that were not mentioned in the article. I wonder how they fared!!! :( :(
 
FUCK!!! I'm smoking a pipe and wearing a T-shirt both purchased from Wonderland not two weeks ago right now! This is some bullshit, I can't believe that people are letting this happen. Mark my words, this type of rights-trampling behavior will be the downfall of our country, and what makes it even more mind boggling is that the people responsible for this are the ones going to war in other countries in the name of freedom. Hypocritical right? Well, you wonder why everyone hates america... fuck.
 
UPDATE: I went by Wonderland this evening and noticed their door open. I went inside to see what the deal was and this is what I was told. Their inventory was confiscated, but there are no charges being pressed. Apparently unless a pipe is shaped like an old-fashoned tobacco pipe, then it is considered paraphanalia, atleast that was the FED bullshit. They also said that waterpipes with bases shaped like frogs and mushrooms was considered marketing to children. On the other hand, they are now able to sell nitrous shit again (go figure). I thanked them for providing a much appreciated service, bought some blunt raps, and headed home. They plan on restocking with a "legal" inventory, so atleast they aren't going out of business. If you're anywhere near them and in need of a pipe, check them out, they could really use the business!!! peace out
 
formul8 said:
UPDATE: I went by Wonderland this evening and noticed their door open. I went inside to see what the deal was and this is what I was told. Their inventory was confiscated, but there are no charges being pressed. Apparently unless a pipe is shaped like an old-fashoned tobacco pipe, then it is considered paraphanalia, atleast that was the FED bullshit. They also said that waterpipes with bases shaped like frogs and mushrooms was considered marketing to children. On the other hand, they are now able to sell nitrous shit again (go figure). I thanked them for providing a much appreciated service, bought some blunt raps, and headed home. They plan on restocking with a "legal" inventory, so atleast they aren't going out of business. If you're anywhere near them and in need of a pipe, check them out, they could really use the business!!! peace out
Thanks for the update, man!
I'm glad to hear they're not going to have to shut down, at least!
 
If the American people do not wake up to this "new world order" that is being pushed and start taking back our freedoms the FASCES hanging on the wall of congress are going to be symbols on our new global flag.
 
If the American people do not wake up to this "new world order" that is being pushed and start taking back our freedoms the FASCES hanging on the wall of congress are going to be symbols on our new global flag.

amen brother!
 
oh sh*t, i just noticed that this is a really old thread...
 
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