PHOENIX - U.S. Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk announced today that Judge Michael Bluff of the Yavapai County Superior Court has granted a Permanent Injunction to ban all known retailers from selling synthetic drugs in Yavapai County.
Judge Bluff signed the Injunction late last month that declared the drugs, which go by the street names “spice" and “bath salts", to be a public nuisance. The Order bans all identified retailers and property landlords named in the lawsuit, and all persons acting in concert with them, from possessing, acquiring, selling or transferring the dangerous synthetic drugs.
Efforts to permanently outlaw synthetic drugs began in August of 2012, when the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office successfully obtained an emergency temporary restraining order. It was supported by over 100 affidavits from community members, hospitals, mental health care professionals, law enforcement officers, schools, probation officers and the DEA Phoenix Field Division, detailing the harm, devastation, effects on the users and loss of life caused by these drugs.
“I am pleased with the successful outcome of a novel strategy to address these insidious drugs… I want to especially thank the agents and chemists at the DEA whose assistance was vital to our effort," said Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk.
“This action demonstrates our commitment to keeping our streets safe from these and other new and emerging drugs that have decimated families, ruined lives, and caused havoc in communities across the country," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Doug Coleman. “Parents and community leaders look to us to help them protect their kids, and we have not let them down. DEA and its law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively pursue those who attempt the manufacture and sale of these dangerous chemicals."
In 2012, DEA raided laboratories and retail outlets in Phoenix and surrounding areas that were manufacturing the drugs. Agents seized thousands of packages of ‘spice’ and ‘bath salts’ including raw chemicals.
The permanent ban includes all synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, and their analogues.
A copy of the Cease and Desist Letter to all known Internet Sellers of Synthetic Drugs is located on the website http://www.yavapai.us/publicnotices/.
For more information about synthetic designer drugs, visit www.dea.gov.
