Headlines: Crackdown on Rockland smoke shops, pharmacy break-ins under investigation
Here are some stories making headlines across the Hudson Valley.
Here are some stories making headlines across the Hudson Valley.
Rockland County, Homeland Security, and other law enforcement officials are cracking down on several smoke shops after a year-long investigation. Search warrants were executed at two shops in Clarkstown, two in Orangetown, and one in Suffern Tuesday. The District Attorney's Office says the businesses have been accused of selling cannabis products to customers, including minors, and operating without a proper license. Investigators allege they were scamming the government out of thousands of tax dollars.
A string of pharmacy break-ins in the Hudson Valley is now under investigation, with officials suggesting they could be related. The most recent incident occurred at Beekman Pharmacy in Dutchess County on Sunday, where the glass door was smashed in and drugs and merchandise were stolen. Authorities have confirmed one other break-in in Dutchess, four in Putnam County, and another in Bedford, all within the last month. Aamir Pirani from Beekman Pharmacy stated, "It seems like it's the same group of people that are doing this, and they seem pretty good at it too because they haven't been caught yet." According to the state DEA, there has been a sharp increase in pharmacy thefts in the last three years, with only five thefts reported three years ago compared to 36 reported last year.
