TEMPLE, TX (June 13, 2025) – The Temple Police Department and Belton Police Department have executed evidentiary search warrants for multiple vape and smoke shop locations.
The Temple Police Department Special Investigations Unit opened an investigation into numerous vape and smoke shops in the Temple and Belton area starting in January of 2025. This investigation stemmed from information provided by citizens of the community and fellow officers who expressed concern about the type of inventory being sold.
The investigation became widespread, including assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Waco Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, and Belton Police Department, working in conjunction with the Temple Police Department to purchase and test items from these stores. During this investigation, it became apparent that products in these stores were mislabeled and incorrectly claimed to be in compliance with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill.
The Temple Police Department purchased numerous items that claimed to be in compliance and tested them at the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and the NMS Laboratory, which is an approved lab by the Department of Public Safety, and the Belton Police Department used Armstrong Laboratories to test their items. These lab results confirmed that some of the products displayed in these stores are mislabeled and not actually in compliance. The results from every shop tested showed that the product referred to as “flower” and the “flower” pre-rolls were not in compliance with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill as labeled, and tested positive for marijuana over the allowed 0.3%. Additionally, multiple shops that claimed to be selling THC-A products produced a lab result of Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol.
At around 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 13, the Temple Police Department and the Belton Police Department conducted multiple evidentiary search warrants at the 100 block of S 25th Street, the 400 block of N 3rd Street, the 4300 block of S 31st Street, the 6500 block of W Adams Avenue, the 5700 block of W Adams Avenue the 2800 block of W Adams Avenue, and in Belton at the 2600 block of N Main Street.
Section 297A of the H.R. 5485 2018 Farm Bill states, “The term ‘hemp’ means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.” H.R 5485
Public Service Announcement: Many locations in the area have been identified to be falsely advertising their products by stating they contain the legal amount of THC. Certified letters will be sent to these locations informing the owners that their products have been tested by DPS Crime Lab and the NMS laboratories and are confirmed to contain illegal amounts of THC.
The Temple Police Department Units that were involved in these warrants include the Special Investigations Unit, Criminal Investigations Division, Crime Scene Investigators, Patrol, Training, and the SWAT Team. The total personnel for this operation were approximately 65 total officers.
This case is under investigation, and no other information will be released at this time. Anyone with information should contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500 or the Bell County Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477, where callers can report anonymously. Tips can also be submitted anonymously at bellcountycrimestoppers.com.
