MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — Over the past month, the Monroe Police Department received information from a cooperating witness who advised that the owner of Tobacco and Liquor on the 1400 block of North 18th Street, 43-year-old Jiteshbhai Soma Rathod, was selling THC Delta 9 vape pens from inside of the store.
On April 17, 2022, and May 5, 2022, an undercover officer of Monroe Police entered the store, purchasing a “Blue Dreams” flavored THC vape pen.
According to authorities, the undercover officer purchased two THC vape pens from Rathod during these purchases. The vape pens were $50 apiece.
Officers then obtained a search warrant for the store and on May 5, 2022, around 3:50 PM, authorities executed the warrant. During the search, officers located a brown bag containing a small narcotic bag, two orange pill bottles with torn labels, one bottle containing five Methadone pills and 20 Morphine pills, and two boxes containing four multi-flavored THC vape pens.
Rathod was placed under arrest and transported to the Ouachita Correctional Center. He was charged with five counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance.