Owners of two stores indicted for selling Spice

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Owners of two Columbia County convenience stores were indicted for selling synthetic marijuana in the summer.

A Columbia County Grand Jury indicted Young Ju Kim and Hyun Su Kim, owners of Pumpkin Center store, on 17 counts of possession of a counterfeit substance with intent to distribute, according to court documents released Thursday.

On July 5, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics investigators executed a search warrant at the Harlem-area store at 1313 Appling-Harlem Highway. They found 292 packets of what was later confirmed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab as synthetic marijuana. The illegal Schedule I drug was behind the front counter and in the back office of the store, sheriffs Capt. Steve Morris said.

Synthetic marijuana, also know as K2 or Spice, is a psychoactive designer drug derived of natural herbs sprayed with synthetic chemicals that, when consumed, allegedly mimic the pleasurable effects of cannabis.

Kim told investigators she had more synthetic marijuana at her Evans home, where they found an additional 853 packets. That also was confirmed to be Spice.

The Kims were arrested Dec. 4 and released after each posted a $7,600 bond, according to jailers.

The Grand Jury also indicted Atul Patel, owner of Lewiston Express at 107 Lewiston Road, and his son Kinjalkumar Patel, on 18 counts of possession of a counterfeit substance with intent to distribute, according to the court documents.

Investigators executing a search warrant at the store on June 21 seized 401 packages of suspected synthetic marijuana, according to Morris. He said 30 packages are known to be the banned substance synthetic marijuana and the remaining packages were sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for further analysis.

The Patels, of Evans, were selling the drug out of the store where the younger Patel also worked. Both were arrested and released after each posted a $7,600 bond, according to jailers.