Police raid Muncie gas stations for bath salts

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - Eight people were arrested and 10 locations were raided Monday morning in the culmination of an undercover investigation into the sale of bath salts.

The chemicals, said to mimic cocaine and marijuana, were banned under state law in 2011. Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a stronger ban into law in early 2012 after an I-Team 8 investigation showed some local convenience stores, gas stations and head shops skirting the law by selling compounds with similar effects, but slightly altered chemical content. Under that new ban, more than 60 new chemical compounds are now illegal.

Leading up to Monday's raids, five different police agencies have been investigating for nine months.

Six gas stations and four residences were raided simultaneously at 9 a.m. Monday. Police officials said the businesses had sold bath salts and/or drug paraphernalia to undercover officers and confidential police informants during at least 14 separate “buys” between September 2011 and May 2012.

According to court documents filed Monday, the substances bought during the investigation went by at least 11 different names. In many of the buys, the informants or officers reported the clerks showed them how to use the chemicals.

During one of the buys, the officer reported one of the clerks, Hardeep Singh, said he was “having a hard time receiving a supply of the substance because of the recent ban.” During another buy, an officer reported the clerk telling him that no one in the area was selling the chemicals right now because “people are dying.”

Officers arrested the following individuals Monday:

• Harpreet Singh
• Kumar Venod AKA Venod Kumar
• Monty Singh
• Ramesh Kumar
• Lucky Singh
• Sonny Singh
• Manpreet Singh
• Hardeep Singh

Between them, the eight now face 27 felony charges and four misdemeanor charges, ranging from dealing in a Schedule V controlled substance to money laundering and maintaining a common nuisance. In addition, several of the suspects face felony corrupt business influence charges. Similar charges were also filed in civil court.

“That's like an old racketeering charge,” explained Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold. “So I've filed a civil lawsuit, through my attorney Dan Gibson, to try to seize the assets of these stations from their criminal activity. Real estate, cars - anything that's connected to the profiting of the alleged sale of bath salts - we are asking a court to take control of that.”

Prosecutors will also ask for the retail licenses of the businesses to be suspended, Arnold said. That provision is now available to prosecutors under the new law passed in 2012.

For many who watched the raids go down Monday, it’s a welcome sign.

“They were selling bath salts and every kind of paraphernalia you could think of,” said Jerry Mack, who lives near one of the raided gas stations. “You could see it on the glass, what they had. We had a neighborhood meeting last week and said it’s time to crack down on this stuff. It’s time to take our neighborhood back.”

Michael Keown, who was visiting his girlfriend who lives near the apartments of several of the suspects raided on Monday, agreed.

“I’m glad to see them,” he said. “That stuff makes you go crazy and stay up for days and days. I’m glad to see them here taking it [away.]”

For those who have seen the harmful effects the chemicals can cause, it’s not a moment too soon.

“We've had two cases here in this county that I've been involved in with the prosecutor's office, that - while maybe not directly related - have been contributing factors to a person's death,” said Delaware County Coroner Scott Hahn. “I'm hoping this puts a damper on that. Public education is the best route we can look at as being proactive.”

Asked if he expected those numbers to grow, Hahn nodded.

“I hope not, but I suspect they will,” he said. “We didn't particularly look for these type drugs before. Now, during an autopsy, we have to request these be particularly looked for. Hopefully, moves like [Monday’s raids] will send a message.”

Muncie Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department, Anderson Police Department, Indiana State Police and Excise Police all worked together on the investigation.

In addition to the eight arrested, police are looking for one other person, and they said additional arrests are possible.

The following businesses were raided Monday:

• Marathon, 4849 N. Broadway, Muncie
• Marathon, 1701 N. Martin Luther King, Muncie
• Marathon -- 901 E. Main St., Muncie
• Citgo, 3401 E. Memorial Drive, Muncie
• BP,1630 N. Wheeling Pike, Muncie
• Yorktown Food Mart, 9021 West Smith Street, Yorktown