Cignall Miranda tobacconist after raid uncovers drugs and weapons
A southern Sydney tobacconist has been charged after police found pills, pipes, and “party bongs” at his store during a three hour raid. Police will allege synthetic marijuana and testosterone were among the items found inside the store.
A Sydney tobacconist was allegedly selling synthetic marijuana, testosterone, slingshots, flick knives, ice pipes and party bongs at his store when police raided his store on Wednesday.
The 58-year-old male owner of Cignall at Westfield Miranda was abruptly bailed up by seven undercover police officers at 1.20pm in front of startled shoppers.
He has spent the night behind bars and will face Parramatta Bail Court today charged with two counts of possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit, prohibited drug possession, selling ice pipes, display water pipes in his shop, selling a water pipe and two counts of possessing a prescribed restricted substance.
He was also charged with contravening Section 23A on three or more occasions, a law within the Weapons Prohibition Act which prohibits selling weapons without a licence.
A NSW Police spokeswoman confirmed officers executed the search warrant following reports the owner was allegedly supplying prohibited weapons.
“Police located and seized sling shots, glass pipes, an amount of testosterone and prescribed restricted medication, some flick knives and, possibly, synthetic cannabis,” she said.
Officers put on gloves to search the store before filling brown paper evidence bags with red and orange pills in blister packets, at least 10 glass pipes, some small metal items in resealable plastic bags and two “party bongs” - a large standing pipe which can be smoked by several people at once.
Police were also seen inspecting a black cardboard box, printed with green marijuana leaves, full of glass vials of liquid.
The store owner, who is a familiar face at the local shopping centre, closed the store after the raid, with a note on the door which read “Back in five minutes”.
Another sign tacked to a spinning display of novelty number plates said “Smile! You’re on camera!”
Shoppers were taken aback by the significant police presence after officers had spent the morning observing the store from a nearby cafe.
During the raid one woman left dismayed after saying he was the only store in the centre that sold her particular kind of cigarettes.
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