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420 Emporium raided by multiple law enforcement agencies

By Billie Owens

The 420 Emporium on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia was just raided by the local Drug Enforcement Task Force, agents of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the Batavia Police Department, and State Troopers.

UPDATE 11:56 a.m.: This is one of a handful of raids being conducted in Central and Western New York at locations suspected of selling bath salts. Howard, who is on scene, says that when this went down neighbors came out and cheered the officers on, and one person shouted "We've waited a long time for this!"

UPDATE 12:03 p.m.: A few minutes ago, City Councilwoman Rosemary Christian drove by and yelled "Fantastic!"

UPDATE 12:07 p.m.: Any charges resulting from this raid will be federal.

UPDATE 12:57 p.m.: An employee showed up to work at the store and was immediately arrested.

UPDATE 1:21 p.m.: All units are clear from this location.

Beth Kinsley

Thank you Howard, Rosemary, the Lang family and the rest of the community for putting the heat on. Even if they find nothing, it's because people like you let them know that this will not be tolerated in our community.

Jul 25, 2012, 11:52am Permalink
Donna Flowers

Just read on YNN of Central NY that they raided 420 Emporium in Syracuse too. Amber Snover is having a really bad day. Batavia is having a good day.

Jul 25, 2012, 12:11pm Permalink
Debra Nanni

Poor Amber will be looking for a new job.....then again maybe she won't need one. LOL Anyways, good to see. It often happens that just when you think law enforcement is not doing anything, something bigger and more "planned" happens. These raids are generally pretty well thought out and researched first. Hope something comes of it and it is not in vain.

Jul 25, 2012, 12:19pm Permalink
Gabor Deutsch

I agree with Beth. Thank you to EVERYONE involved in stopping this activity. I would like to end with a famous line from Hawaii 5-O : "Book 'em Dano" !
:D

Jul 25, 2012, 1:25pm Permalink
Debra Nanni

" An employee showed up for work and was immediately arrested"??? Not sure about anyone else here, but if I worked in a place with this sort of recent exposure, and there were cop cars lining the street when I showed up for work, I may skip on by and take a vacation day??!!! LOL I guess it's typical of the audacity of those involved in this business.

Jul 25, 2012, 1:32pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Where's Frank on all this? What was it that Frank said about his info being factual and that he was credible. LOL

Oh yeah Frank you said..."More news, one of the owners at 420 said he is not making any plans on closing the doors anytime soon.
With the ban on spice, pipes, and papers will be a booming business, as everyone goes back to pot.
He said he carries 40 different wraps, and a huge selection of smoking accessiories."

Really if thats all they sell I wonder why they were raided and 3 people taken away in handcuffs. As well as 3 egg crate sized boxes siezed and carted off to the labs to be tested? The when your credibility is called into question you responded with..."The name is unimportant, I spoke to the person on several occassions, including the day 420 opened. I was letting them know what they had got themselves into, by setting up shop in Batavia. Sort of like a community service bulletin in reverse.
No pay here Howard, just telling a story as it unfolds."

I said BS and you still insist that...."I was asked not to provide a name. I've been following this story, (bath salts, spice) since the stuff was being sold on the rez, basically, because someone I know and love got tangled up with this stuff.
Kyle, try unplugging the machine, any bs is coming from under your nose. From what I have seen and heard, the chemist will come up with new recipes, and it will be game on again. One of these attempts to circumvent unbalanced substance control laws is going to result in the sale of something lethal, just a matter of time.
I agree with the law enforcement person who suggested arresting the users, that makes more sense. If their actions warrant concern for public safety, throw their asses in jail, just like a disorderly drunk."

Well obviously the BS has hit the fan and guess what, none has splattered on me. Who looks credible now Frank, oops I meant gullible.

Jul 25, 2012, 1:48pm Permalink
Tim Miller

Where the heck did this come from?!?

If only there was a journalist in Batavia that cared to cover crap like this, we might be informed about bath salts, 420, etc.

;-)

Either the Greece PD needs to give Howard an apology, or they were covering their impending actions well.

Jul 25, 2012, 2:01pm Permalink
Debra Nanni

There could be several reasons for that Howard, heee heee , but I will be nice and leave that alone. Anyways, incredible reporting by both you and Billie. Nice job.

Jul 25, 2012, 2:25pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Kyle yuk it up, ain't no cuffs on me, makes no never mind to me, as you have already forgotten Kyle, MY BITCH IS ABOUT PERSONAL FREEDOMS,and that alcohol is a dangerous drug, you've danced around that issue since day 1.
Tim, I reported that this shop was coming to Batavia back in May, apparently Kyle told everyone it was bs.

Jul 25, 2012, 2:54pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Nothin to yuk up there Frank. Alcohol is only dangerous in the hands of those who cant handle it. By the way I did a little research, the gentleman that you remember holding off the police and arrested was in the DT's not drunk. Again alcohol is a depressant yes there are angry drunks but again the are uncordinated and so easily managed (unless of course there are other drugs involved) that they represent nothing like the threat of bath salts users.

Heres my documented facts by the way.... <edit> forgot the link: http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/withdraw/a/aa030307a.htm

Alcohol Withdrawal.

Withdrawal Symptoms:
Mild to moderate psychological symptoms:

•Feeling of jumpiness or nervousness
•Feeling of shakiness
•Anxiety
•Irritability or easily excited
•Emotional volatility, rapid emotional changes
•Depression

Mild to moderate physical symptoms:

•Headache - general, pulsating
•Sweating, especially the palms of the hands or the face
•Nausea and Vomiting
•Loss of appetite
•Insomnia, sleeping difficulty
•Paleness
•Rapid heart rate (palpitations)
•Eyes, pupils different size (enlarged, dilated pupils)
•Skin, clammy
•Abnormal movements
•Tremor of the hands
•Involuntary, abnormal movements of the eyelids

Severe symptoms:

•A state of confusion and hallucinations (visual) -- known as delirium tremens
•Agitation
•Fever
•Convulsions
•"Black outs" -- when the person forgets what happened during the drinking episode

And just a reminder of the symptoms of intoxication (without other drugs involved...

Alcohol not only works slower but requires much larger quantities, lets look at what the effects of alcohol actually are according to what doctors have documented...

General Effects on Human Body
There are different effects of alcohol on human body depending upon the concentration of alcohol in blood. They are generally classified as follows-
•BAC count ranging from 0.09 to 0.23% often leads to lethargy. In this condition, people become sleepy, they lose coordination and start losing their body balance. It is also characterized by blurred vision.
•When BAC count ranges from 0.17 to 0.28%, it may cause confusion in a person. It is characterized by aggravated emotional state where people try to be sentimental or overly aggressive. They are not certain of what they are doing. Dizziness continues. Nausea is also a common symptom of this phase.
•When BAC count ranges from 0.25 to 0.39%, the condition is known as stupor. In this stage, body movements are severely affected and patients lose and regain consciousness intermittently. They have a high risk of coma or even death.
•When BAC count ranges from 0.35 to 0.50% , the condition is known as coma. It is characterized by unconsciousness when body reflexes are low, breathing rate declines resulting in dropping of heartbeat rate.
•When BAC crosses the mark of 0.5%, it results in failure of CNS (Central Nervous System) ultimately resulting in death.

So it seems to me while still dangerous alcohol is kinda self limiting to those who arent addicted. Those that are well hopefully they find help and get on the road of recovery before they hit bottom too hard and cant get back up. We already outlawed alcohol once in this country and where did that get us.....

Jul 25, 2012, 3:17pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Gun control, yeah I can pretty much hit what I aim at, have a natural born marksmanship. Gun control is very important component of responsible gun use.

Had carry laws been more lenient maybe one of the brave young men that protected their GF's with their lives might have been able to end this shooter's plans before they got as far as they did.

Jul 25, 2012, 3:16pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

JP,glad you asked, in todays poll, it was about 70% in favor of more restrictions on guns, how does that equate
to any less crime, or for preventing what happened in Colorado?

Jul 25, 2012, 3:40pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Kyle, where do any of the laws get us?, now we have another illegal drug, more training, more money, more headaches, all I'm saying is "where does it end" ?
Thanks for the illustration, nothing special, or new to me, though, alcohol use could kill me, so that is all I
need to know.
I wonder what could have caused the "gentlemen" to have the DT's, oh that's right, alcohol consumption.

Jul 25, 2012, 4:01pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

II thank you for really making my point for me Frank, every word you type is proving to all the other readers out there how single minded and tunnel visioned someone on a crusade can be, just like the Christians of the middle ages slaughtering non-believers in the name of God, despite the Bible teaching otherwise. How deluded people with a single focused closed mind can be.

Jul 25, 2012, 4:11pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Kyle, the DT's don't happen without alcohol involvement. Grow up Kyle, You can't always be right.
I have stated many times, I don't care what people do with booze, how is that tunnel vision?
Kyle, Dt's usually follow long binges, and strike when the abuser sobers up, at least that is what hundreds of alcoholics have said. They are probably all full of shit, in the world according to Kyle.
I can, and have, backed up every word I have typed Kyle. Even when you tried to call me a liar. You must have found the story about the gentleman whipping the cops, no lies there.
Here is my take on DT's, my stepfather was selling his blood for about 2 weeks, and buying booze with the money.
When he finally ran out of places to sell blood, he ran out of money.The very 1st evening he was sober, he leaped through the dining room window, he was seeing snakes on the floor, the window wasn't open either!!
This sounds eerily similiar to what salt and spice users are doing, erractic, dangerous behavior.
Personally, I could care less about any of it.
My only skin in it all is what I believe, are my rights, and watching them being chipped away.
Kyle, I feel the same way towards alcohol as you do salt or spice, I see it as the same poison, at no time did I ever tell anyone, one substance was better than another. That was your argument.

Jul 25, 2012, 6:46pm Permalink
Shannon Laurer

The Hubby just got home from work and said "So what's the small town news" I asked "Why", he say's "I saw channel 8 and 13 news vehicles, gotta be something", I laughed and filled him in! We grew up in Rochester so we know it's gotta be good when we see our local stations in the area :)

Jul 25, 2012, 7:24pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

I havent seen any back up of any words you typed Frank care to provide the sites? I can continue to post data from the people who make their livelyhoods and living from studying alcoholism, there is even a few AA members ready to dispute you on almost every point you've made but they know how futile it is to argue with drunks. I keep it up cause when I make points you unfailingly have to respond and prove your ignorance and tunnel vision. I'm sure others find it educating as well.

Anyone can google your "opinions' and facts and find out how empty they are. It's great excercise in using the internet as a reference tool.
Have a wonderful day Frank. Remember just cause you twist my words or say they arent true doesnt make them invalid. The ultimate argument stopper is one a friend of mine from GCASA told me they use when arguing like this with substance abusers.

"You know the truth, and I know the Truth." everyone that has been watching this back and forth also knows the truth of what is discussed here Frank. I wonder why you have so many negative votes? After all I can only vote once so you cant blame me.

Jul 25, 2012, 9:00pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Kyle, speaking of twisted words, when did I say anything about credible, I said someone at 420 told me something. How many AA meetings have you attended Kyle? The truth is Kyle, I don't like alcohol, and you do

Negative votes from drug users don't bother me Kyle, it would be like letting any of the garbage you call truth occupy one minute in my head. We call ourselves alcoholics Kyle, not drunks, we are recovering, not practicing.
And I haven't seen anything from you that can dispute what I have said. Look it up for yourself, I don't need a refresher course.
Alcohol is a drug used worldwide, that is why AA is world wide. Use and abuse are a fine line Kyle, like I said, its about personal choice, and personal freedom, for me anyway, if you can't deal with it,tough shit.
I don't share your drug -vs- drug opinion, get over it, You don't share my opinion, who cares?
I really have doubts about all these so called friends of yours, but let them speak for themselves Kyle, you are pro drug, so I don't believe anything you say. I am passionate about alcohol abuse Kyle, and hope and pray every night when I hit my knees that no one should ever have to live the alcoholic life. That their loved ones don't have to watch them die from the poison called alcohol.
There are no sites that tell my story, I witnessed it with my own eyes.

Jul 25, 2012, 10:21pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

LOL Labeling me as Pro Drug doesnt make it so Frank so keep on a rambling. I have been to a whole year of aa meetings myself, not for myself mind you but to support a friend. I dont have whatever it is that makes an alcoholic I can go for months without a glass of wine, or my wife an I can split a bottle in an evening.

As a matter of fact the only drink I have had this summer was this past Sunday. My wife wanted me to try O'Laceys almost world famous chips. I had a nice uncle something or other pub sandwich too hot roast beef & ham with swiss and may it was delicious. The the couple at the table next to me had an irish coffee.... not one with baileys but one made w jamesons irish whisky. Damn that went down good. But you see, we walked so we didnt have to worry about getting home. I only had one as well, didnt need to drink away any stress, or drown sorrows or get blasted. I had a nice relaxing evening watching Criminal Minds and Psych til goin to bed for the evening. That is the example of responsible drinking and enjoyment of a legal beverage, just like a person with a headache taking an asprin, or a parent giving a child a fever reducer for a cold etc. Does that make them pro-drug? Nope not at all.

But thats not what these people at 420 are guilty of, they are guilty of selling poisons to people that make them psychotic and dangerous. Police who deal with us during the worst moment of our lives are the best watermarks for the severity of this analog drug issue. As YOU have stated they have dealt with drunks almost as long as organized police forces have been around. it routine to them they come into contact with it so often. So explain to me why these officers are expressing concerns and fear of this analog drug and what it does to people. Could it be because despite your generalization that alcohol or baths salts a drug is a drug is a drug is inaccurate? That bath salts represent a bigger and more serious danger? Like comparing a nerf soft foam dart gun (alcohol) to a ruger 357 magnum (Bath salts). Both are guns and both shoot projectiles.....but one can do so much more damage than the other.

To further the metaphor what if some clever gunsmith develops a 357 that shoots a nerf like bullet, should that gun since it is in principal supposedly safe then be made available in every toy store?

I know everyone will tell me trying to make you see logic and sensibility if a losing battle, but I wont give up trying anyway.

I will voice my counter opinions as long as you paint me with remarks that are untrue like that I'm pro drug or that I like alcohol and you dont... The truth is you cant have alcohol cause of your condition that you label alcoholism so that choice is taken from you. I'm sorry that is the way things are, but its the way life is, some cant eat shellfish, or peanuts or sugars.... they dont get to choose they are forced to abstain due to their body's intolerance. Thats the way it goes but your demonization of alcohol speaks of your bitterness of having that personal choice or freedom removed from you. You are what people in AA or other substance abuse programs call a dry drunk.

http://alcoholrehab.com/alcohol-rehab/dry-drunk-syndrome/ here is a dry drunk defined by this recovery website...

Dry Drunk Syndrome Defined
The term dry drunk is believed to originate from 12 Step recovery groups. It is used to describe those who no longer drink alcohol but in many ways behave like they were still in the midst of addiction. Thy dry drunk may be full of resentment and anger. Instead of finding joy in their life away from alcohol they can act as if they were serving a prison sentence. The only change this person has made is to stop drinking, but in other respects their life remains the same. Friends and family can complain that the dry drunk is almost as hard to be around as they were when drinking. In AA they describe a person people who haven’t touched alcohol in years, but have not yet managed to get sober.

reading further I found a symptom that in my opinion describes a certain someone Frank.....can you guess who?, here it is...

The dry drunk tends to be full of pride and feels over-confident about their abilities. They will not seek help from other people because they believe they already have all the answers.

I'm sorry to have to tell you this Frank but it was one of those people you call my so called friends. They still tell me arguing with you is useless and while they wannt to engage you they realize its a waste of time. But one told me of dry drunk syndrome and set me in this direction, i know you wont read it but maybe if you do you might come to a realization. Hope is always a good thing even it its killed more often than fufilled.

Jul 25, 2012, 11:36pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Even if your little story were true in this case, what does it have to do with personal freedom, the govt. is telling us what to eat, what to drink, how much, stop dancing around the real issue Kyle, it got old a long time ago. YOU REMIND ME OF YOUR PHOTO.

Jul 26, 2012, 11:51am Permalink
Kyle Couchman

Correction, the Govt is trying to tell us what to eat, and drink but so far sugar drinks are still legal in NY and I see people using their food stamp/ebt cards to buy whatever food they want so where exactly is the problem? Our dysfuntional govt is very aware that we are getting wise to the shenannigans. The real issue is that these chemist and dealer of synthetic drugs need to be removed from our communities, as Mr. Hochul said theres no altruistic or noble motives behind this crap just pure greed at the expense of others?

Yes the Govt is making inroads to removing personal freedoms, but it hasnt been too successful so far. I dont see this as intruding on personal freedom...it more like protection of those not capable of making good choices. Is it a vilotaion of personal freedom to stop some jerk from beating a dog to death, or taking things they want from others for their own benefit? Then why is it ok for synthetic drug dealers to rob people of normal life and hook them on an unknown cocktail of untested analog drugs just to put money in their pockets.

Dont give me the argument bout alcohol either because while it is a drug that can be dangerous it has been legalized and there are no experimental untested versions of it lurking in our neighborhoods.

Jul 26, 2012, 12:47pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

You can put any kind of drug or chemical in your body you want and be stoned out of your mind and so long as you don't break any other law (such as actually possessing the stuff or assaulting somebody during your high) you can't be arrested.

There's no law in NYS against public intoxication, of any kind, on any substance.

Jul 26, 2012, 2:49pm Permalink
Doug Yeomans

Kyle, Kyle, Kyle....there are no experimental, untested versions of it lurking in our neighborhoods? I beg your pardon but you've never had the "corn sqeezins" from East Bethany. Just go to the edge of any silage pit and drink the liquids seeping from the base of the pile. All that genetically modified corn produces quite a bit of "experimental" whiskey! :^)

Jul 26, 2012, 2:51pm Permalink
Frank Bartholomew

Kyle, my opinion doesn't match yours, get over it. Ever here of moonshine, fire water, Homemade hard cider, dandelion wine,elderberry wine???????

Jul 26, 2012, 3:40pm Permalink
Kyle Couchman

LOL Doug and how long have people made moonshine from good old corn squeezins.... As for cider lol I hope to find an orchard that makes some hard cider so I can try making some applejack, to make a colonial era pie recipie I got from my aunt a few yrs ago. Closest thing to applejack nowadays is apple flavored brandy. The way applejack was made for this pie recipie was to take hard cider, set it outside in the cold months to freeze, the alcohol from the apples comes to the surface and has a distinct apple flavor.

LOL There a re fruit trees all over the world Doug, one of the most memorable national geographic specials was about a place in india where when the fruit ripens and falls off the tree it ferments, its then that the monkeys harvest it (eat it) and then the drunken antics begin. Scientnists caught one of the little bugger and found it's blood alcohol content to be twice the legal limit. Then they went on to observe similar behavior in the local birds and other wildlife too. So you see, mother nature provides as well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN46PjBbns0 courtesy of the BBC

Since I see that Frank will blame the tourists for the drunken monkeys on the tourists I did some further digging and found a clip from the very show I remember. Doug make sure your not drinking anything so it doesnt spray out your nose. As for your comment about the silage silos, well mother nature still provides her bounty to those who depend on her doesnt she :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Le9ufN5uEc&feature=related ....drunken monkeys and elephants who says discovery tv has to be boring LOL

Jul 26, 2012, 5:37pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

Public Intoxication

Section 240.40 of the New York Penal Law states that you will be considered guilty if you are found to be under the influence of a substance other than alcohol and are likely to endanger yourself or someone else. You will also be in violation of this statute if you are under the influence and likely to annoy someone or endanger their property.

Read more: New York State Laws Regarding Public Intoxication | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7577513_new-laws-regarding-public-intoxication…

Jul 26, 2012, 5:38pm Permalink

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