Colorado Attorney General John Suthers on Monday announced a fourth lawsuit against a retailer accused of selling a synthetic marijuana known as spice.
Suthers’ office sued PoPo Wee Mart in Colorado Springs, its owner, Jin Ju Kim, and her husband, Wanhee Lee, both 56, in El Paso County District Court.
“The defendants are accused of selling spice products in packages falsely labeled as “herbal incense,” “botanical sachet,” and “potpourri” knowing they were being sold for human consumption,” according to a release.
Nationwide spice bust: 9 arrests in Colorado
Investigators from the Colorado Springs Metro Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division removed 1,505 packages of spice products from the store.
“Since spice is a synthetic cannabinoid, people facing drug tests are using these products as a substitute for marijuana, however this is a misnomer because the effects of spice are closer to those of PCP,” Suthers said, according to the release.
Suthers had earlier filed suits accusing Tobacco King in Longmont, Paymon’s in Aurora, and O’s Pipes & Tobacco in Denver, of selling spice.
The maximum civil penalty for selling the product is up to $2,000 per-violation and disgorgement of profits from spice sales. The suit contends that each spice package put up for sale is a separate violation.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dpmcghee
