Wayne Chipotle Closes, Employees Used Restaurant As Drug Distribution Hub: Police

WAYNE, PA – The Chipotle in the Wayne section of Radnor Township has been closed after officers made marijuana-related arrests at the Mexican eatery following an investigation into employees using the location as a drug distribution hub.

6ABC reports two employees allegedly sold marijuana out of the Lancaster Avenue store, and some of those sales were made to undercover police.

Court records show two people have been charged in the alleged drug-dealing scheme. Robert Lane, 22, and Kyhdeem-Ahmad Shoatz, 24, both of Philadelphia, were arrested and charged according to court records.

Lane faces 24 charges, including felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; felony conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; criminal use of a communication facility; and related drug charges. Shoatz faces 10 charges including felony conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; criminal use of a communication facility; and other drug-related charges.

Both Lane and Shoatz were held after failing to post 10 percent of $30,000 bail after being arraigned Wednesday afternoon, court records show.

Both are slated to appear for their preliminary hearings on June 22, according to court documents.

Another person, 23-year-old Briana Davis, was hit with a misdemeanor charge while a fourth person was questioned but release, according to reports.

One of the defendants reportedly had a half pound of marijuana on him when police converged on the restaurant. Police also reportedly found drug paraphernalia in a toilet tank in the restaurant, 6ABC reports.

Main Line Media News reports the burrito purveyor closed its 309 Lancaster Ave. location Wednesday as health department officials and drug-sniffing K9 units investigate the restaurant.

The outlet also reports all food will be thrown out as a precaution and did not say when the eatery will reopen.

"These are serious allegations and, if true, represent completely unacceptable conduct in one of our restaurants," a Chipotle spokesman said in an email to Patch. "We will cooperate fully with the investigation to see that this matter is resolved."

Police made undercover drug purchases at the restaurant, similar to the recent arrest of a bartender who allegedly sold cocaine to undercover officers while working at Estia Taverna in Radnor.

Patch has reached out to Radnor Township Police for more information and will update the story when details are made available.

Pictured above is the Lancaster Avenue Chipotle in Wayne

Image via Google