Napa Vape Shop Shut Down Following Lengthy Investigation: NSIB

NAPA, CA — Two Solano County residents were arrested Thursday and cash and merchandise were seized when Napa Special Investigations Bureau served a search warrant at a Napa vape shop that has been under investigation since last year for suspected sales of marijuana and butane honey oil wax to customers under the age of 18, the agency announced Friday in a news release.

NSIB, which investigates human- and drug-trafficking in the county, launched its investigation of Napa Smoke N Vape, 1700 W. Imola Ave. in Napa, in response to numerous complaints and anonymous tips, NSIB Lt. Rick Greenberg said.

"NSIB detectives are currently working with the city to have Napa Vape and Smoke's business license suspended and possibly revoked indefinitely," Greenberg said Friday. "The city of Napa Fire Department is also investigating numerous fire and safety violations at Napa Vape and Smoke."

The lieutenant said this came on the heels of a months-long investigation through which NSIB detectives were able to confirm juveniles were buying cannabis and the highly-concentrated wax from employees at Napa Vape.

Greenberg explained that butane honey oil, or "wax" as it is often referred to, is made through a chemical THC extraction process of marijuana, using butane gas.

"The process used to make 'wax' is very dangerous and Napa County has dealt with house fires and explosions due to people trying to make wax," he said.

On Thursday when NSIB detectives arrived to serve the search warrant, Greenberg said there were minors inside the business. Also inside was employee Bailey Polk, 20, of Suisun, who had been identified by NSIB during the investigation as a person suspected of selling wax to minors.

Detectives seized "several containers of BHO, along with cannabis and cannabis-infused products, which the business did not have a license to sell," Greenberg said.

A large, undisclosed amount of cash was also seized.

After completing the search, NSIB detectives continued conducting surveillance in the hopes other employees would arrive. Soon, one of the store owners, identified by NSIB as Tareq Saeed, 24, of Fairfield, arrived.

Detectives already suspected Saeed had sold BHO to juveniles, and in speaking with him, he said "he had been watching NSIB detectives the entire time they were at the business, he thought NSIB had left and it was 'safe' to go to the business," Greenberg said.

Saeed and Polk were both arrested Thursday on suspicion of selling cannabis to a minor and conspiracy to commit a crime, both of which are felonies and punishable by time in California state prison, Greenberg said.