Pubdate: Thu, 11 Aug 2005
Source: News-Record, The (WY)
Copyright: 2005 The News-Record
Contact:  http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2504
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

POLICE SEIZE PIPES, BONGS AT HIP HOP HIPPIE STORE

After police went "shopping" at a recently opened store in Gillette, the 
only thing left to sell was incense.

More than 130 drug paraphernalia items were seized Wednesday afternoon from 
the Hip Hop Hippie at 610 S. Butler Spaeth across from Hillcrest 
Elementary, said police Detective Andy Boisvert.

The store claimed to sell tobacco products, but no tobacco or tobacco 
products were found on the premise, Boisvert said. Pipes, bongs and water 
bongs were among the items taken.

The only thing left in the store was incense, he said.

One employee was also ticketed for marijuana use, Boisvert said.

The store's utilities went into use on July 8 but store owner Jeffrey Doles 
said the store officially opened July 28.

"Business was excellent," he said today.

The store was bringing in up to $6,000 a week, Doles said.

Signs that said that the tobacco accessories were not for drug use were 
posted around the store, he said.

"We are just a hippie store, man," Doles said. "We sell pipes. What people 
do with them ain't our business."

Doles said that he had been informed by the police department that he could 
sell the products as long as they were advertised for tobacco use. He was 
shocked when the police showed up with a warrant, he said.

The store was closed this morning, but could be open by the afternoon. 
Doles was waiting on word from his attorney and the county attorney, he said.

"I'm also expecting my biggest shipment we have received yet today," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth