Hicksville Smoke Shop Clerk Sold Concentrated Cannabis: PD

HICKSVILLE, NY — A Queens man was charged with selling concentrated cannabis packets and vape products at Evolve Smoke Shop in Hicksville on Thursday night, according to court records filed by Nassau County police.

Narcotics/Vice Squad detectives said Rohit Saigal, 27, of South Ozone Park was arrested just before 10 p.m. during a joint narcotics investigation with the department’s Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team. Detectives caught two men near the smoke shop with packages of concentrated cannabis labeled as “Skittles Medicated Original” and “Sour Gushers,” and they found more packets inside the shop hiding the cannabis warning label, court records show.

Saigal told detectives he had sold the packages earlier, and when he was asked about the labels, he told them, “I just sell it,” court records show. Police said he admitted to the detectives that he had sold the products. Numerous other items at the shop were found to contain concentrated cannabis, and they were seized, police said.

Saigal was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, both felonies, police said. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Friday in Mineola and was released on his own recognizance.

Saigal is due to appear back in court on March 19. If convicted on the top charge of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, Saigal could face up to 17 years in jail.

The two men who purchased the concentrated cannabis packets were arrested on misdemeanor drug possession charges, police said. They were released on appearance tickets returnable to First District Court in Hempstead on June 7.