POLICE TACTICS QUESTIONED IN DRUG BUST AT AB STORE

ATLANTIC BEACH - A three-city crackdown on shops, including the 4:20
Superstore in Atlantic Beach on Thursday, raised questions about
police search tactics.

Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration executed search warrants
to look for drug paraphernalia at Mr. Natural in Columbia, Purple Haze
in Greenville and 4:20 Superstore in Atlantic Beach.

DEA agents, the Horry County Police narcotics unit, the Atlantic Beach
Police narcotics unit and the North Myrtle Beach canine unit raided
the 4:20 Superstore Thursday afternoon looking for items such as glass
pipes, water pipes, bongs, cocaine-based kits and urine kits, said
Mark Moore with the U.S. attorney's office.

Moore would not comment Thursday on whether authorities found anything
in the store.

However, two shop employees were charged with possession of a
controlled substance found on them and in a car.

David Wilkes, owner of 4:20 Superstore, seemed confused about
authorities looking for drug paraphernalia in his store because he
says he does not sell pipes or bongs, only items such as T-shirts,
posters, shot glasses, incense, beads and jewelry.

The North Myrtle Beach canine unit also used a drug-sniffing dog to
search the vehicles of people who pulled into the parking lot of the
4:20 Superstore during the authorities' search Thursday.

"If people entered the parking lot after this search was done, there
will be a serious problem with searching them," said Denyse Williams,
executive director of the S.C. affiliate of the American Civil
Liberties Union. Williams also said a search or arrest like this is
questionable and could be probable cause for action.

Moore, who said he was not sure if people's vehicles were searched,
would not comment about such action.

The parking lot search comes at a time when the Supreme Court is
considering whether the use of drug-sniffing dogs by police during
routine traffic stops violates motorists' privacy or their Fourth
Amendment rights.

The crackdown on three shops was part of a nationwide initiative to
reduce the sale and manufacturing of drug paraphernalia. The search of
the 4:20 Superstore came after an employee at the store sold drug
paraphernalia to an undercover agent in March, Moore said.

No federal arrests were made Thursday, but state charges were brought
against two employees of the 4:20 Superstore and another person for
possession of marijuana and/or a controlled substance.

Remainder snipped due to the use of names of individuals charged, but
not yet found guilty of drug crimes.
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