4 Arrested For Selling E-Liquid Nicotine To Minors In Suffolk: Police

Suffolk County Police are cracking down on the illegal sale of e-liquid nicotine to minors.

Four people were arrested at Suffolk County businesses Saturday for selling the liquid, which is used in electronic cigarettes, to minors, police said.

In response to community complaints, Fifth Precinct Crime Section officers and representatives from the Suffolk County Department of Health Services Tobacco Regulation Enforcement Unit conducted the investigation between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday.

The following people were arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child:

• Bryant Constante, 22, of Bay Shore, employed at Island Hookah, located at 291-C West Main St. in Sayville
• Adam Sotomayer, 22, of Patchogue, employed at High Times Vape & Tobacco Shop, located at 500-2 Medford Ave. in Patchogue
• Abhay Shah, 60, of Hicksville, employed at Medford Smoke Shop, located at 2594 Route 112 in Medford
• Aaron Klausche 37, of Farmingville, employed at Cloudtronix Vapor Lounge, located at 54 South Main St. in Sayville

The clerks were issued field appearance tickets to appear in court at a later date. The owners of the four businesses were issued notices of violation by the Suffolk County Department of Health.

Blackwater Vapor, located at 10 Main St. in Sayville, refused to sell e-liquid nicotine to a minor, police said.

Liquid nicotine is a composite of nicotine and other chemicals. Concentrated liquid nicotine is highly toxic, even in small doses, and if ingested, liquid nicotine may cause tremors, vomiting, seizures, and potentially, death. For infants and children, ingesting liquid nicotine is likely particularly lethal. In 2014, an 18-month-old New York boy died after ingesting liquid nicotine.

Photo: Google Maps