BOONE COUNTY, MO. -- Update: Monday, August 29 at 5:20 p.m.:
BoCoMo Bay operator Kevin E. Bay, 47, was arrested for possession of 100 firearms, synthetic drugs, precious metals and several hundred thousand dollars in cash.
Original Story:
New restrictions in Missouri on synthetic substances that can mimic the effects of illegal drugs have been in place since midnight on Saturday night.
It is the second time in as many years that Missouri has targeted the synthetics.
This year’s measure regulates chemicals that are similar to marijuana as well as other substances such as bath salts that are similar to cocaine.
Our Crimetracker Team has been following this story for months and found out that every local dealer of these products in Boone County has stopped selling the substances.
Users can still find the synthetics sold on the internet in other states, but that doesn’t mean it is still legal to possess them here in Missouri.
Boone County Sheriff’s Detective Tom O’Sullivan said, “Mere possession of any of these substances would subject a person to arrest. By sending these materials through the mail, you can also face federal charges from the Postal Inspector and any one of a number of other federal agencies. It would be the same as sending any illegal substance through the mails.”
Boone County authorities say they are vigorously enforcing the new law restricting synthetic substances, but they won’t go into the specifics of their methods.
Authorities throughout Missouri are hoping to get voluntary compliance from retailers.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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