More than 100,000 vaping devices containing the drug have been manufactured and sold to children and youth by a group in Iaşi with branches across the country. Members of the group produced and sold electronic vaping devices and “edible” products (jelly, cookies, dragees) containing psychoactive substances.

According to the Romanian police, on Tuesday the police officers of the Iași Organized Crime Brigade, together with the prosecutors of DIICOT – Iași Territorial Service, conducted 121 searches in Bucharest and in the counties of Iași, Alba, Hunedoara, Sibiu, Niamz, Bacău. , Brasov, Constanta, Cluj. they can have a psychoactive effect without a permit issued in accordance with the law.

Thus, starting from the end of 2022, several individuals were to work for or control two companies from the county of Iași, which would constitute an organized criminal group engaged in the import, export, manufacture, production and other operations of substances with psychoactive effects. .

They manufactured and sold electronic vaping devices and “edible” products (jelly, cakes, dragees) knowing that they contained substances that could have psychoactive effects, having found during the investigation the substances HHC, HHC-P, HHC-O, Za according to the Romanian police, H4CBD, THC-P and, in some cases, including THC.

Between October 2022 and September 2023, members of the group manufactured and commercialized more than 100,000 “VAPE” devices that allegedly contained substances that cause psychoactive effects (HHC, HHC-P, HHC-O). , H4CBD, THC-P), which can endanger the lives of people who consume them.

Studies have found an exponential increase among young people (mainly in the area of ​​schools and high schools) in the consumption of “Vape” products, which contain derivatives of the hemp plant and therefore have a psychoactive effect, say police and DIICOT prosecutors.

Some of these products contain a chemical derivative of THC (derived synthetically) with the common name HHC (hexahydrocannabinol), a substance that has the ability to produce psychoactive effects (states of euphoria, hallucinations and even temporary medical problems) similar to the consumption of cannabis and comparable to those that caused by the consumption of new psychoactive substances.

According to the researchers, HHC-containing vaping devices will be sold mainly in the online market (specialist websites and well-known general merchandise websites) and in some stores located in commercial cities. centers

Regarding the psychoactive potential of the substance HHC, the EU Early Warning System (EWS) issued the first warnings in October 2022, the substance itself is currently intensively monitored by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).

In view of this aspect, the marketing of products containing HHC, HHC-P, HHC-O, H4CBD, THC-P is subject to the law on combating transactions with products that may have psychoactive effects, in addition to those provided by regulatory acts in force

After an investigation, 28 companies were found to be selling such products nationally, taking advantage of the fact that vape devices can be freely sold and jelly can be sold to anyone.

It was also established that minors would have access to these life-threatening substances, and people who would sell them such products, although they knew about the effects of the substances in its composition, would be sold without any restrictions, including minors

After the searches, 42 persons are to be brought to the headquarters of DIICOT – Territorial Service of Iași for a hearing.