Bath Salt Bust Takes $2 Million Of Sudsy Shame Off Streets

(Via the DEA's website)

Bad news for those who just want to fill up the tub with some "Energizing Aromatherapy," relax and soak their aching dogs in healing vapors: the DEA raided stores across the city that offered illegal "bath salts." Both New York and New Jersey's health commissioner banned the drug this spring using their emergency powers, and in a press release [pdf] US attorney Preet Bharara says "'Bath salts'…have proven to be a public health and safety menace, with serious and sometimes deadly consequences." Ten people were arrested in the sting, which took $2 million dollars worth of "bath salts" off the street, and included tattoo stores in the East Village, Greenwich Village, and Brooklyn.

At the store in Brooklyn, an undercover officer bought "bath salts" from a vendor who said they were the "best shit," and according to the Daily News, said his customers "included strippers from clubs in Manhattan." According to the attorney's office, companies in China and India are primarily supplying the drug, and "typically mislabel the product to evade detection by law enforcement." Effects of the drug vary from "highs similar to that of the drug ecstasy, and stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine." Though the bust is certainly a success for law enforcement, if we've learned anything it's that people will do just about anything to get high.

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By Christopher Robbins in News on June 29, 2011 2:19 PM

Comments [rss]

Buzzzkill

Why is it more reporters are quite happy to just copy and paste a story without having any clue to how much accuracy is it it.. just irresponsible to me. then when they are called on it thier answer is we just ran the story how the big news outlets have it.. all the stories I have read so far use the "bath Salts" tag without saying anything as to what it actually is..
the name "bath Salts" has nothing to do with what most know of bath salts other than it is just another way to sell drugs and hide it under the radar if illegality.
And from what i have read so far and know as fact.. The brooklyn store in these busts was raided not so much for being a Retailer of this product in so much as he was a greedy stupid retailer.
the DEA made past buys there in excess of a Kilo of this substance and to me thats not a retailer just looking to make extra money thats a Drug Dealer when it that kind of amounts.. over a kilo? sheesh we aren't talking single servings any more..and the comments of it is sold with a wink and a nod? How stupid or lazy are they to do something illegal and its labeled to mislead yet you then tell customers how to sercomvent those disclaimers and commit an illegal activity

lovelette

Please try to write concise, clear articles. Thank you. This one was complete rubbish.

lovelette

Jesus!
Please try writing somewhat clearly next time. I know this is a blog, but why did you write this article like its an inside joke? F'ing ameture

Politburo

Welcome to Gothamist.

jaycjay

This makes me wonder whether, if there had been a Gothamist back when people started calling marijuana "grass", the writers for that Gothamist would have written "the government wants to make our lawns illegal."

The Great Arturo Bandini

You have won the internets today, sir. Everybody can go home now...

Guest

Can we ban regular salt too? If consumed at large enough quantities, it can kill too.

TimeDown

I'm pretty sure there was an attempt to doing that at one point: http://articles.nydailynews.co...

Guest

Can't believe I forgot about that. Yay nanny state!

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arcduke

Very misleading story/title. Nothing to do with actual bath salts. This is about "bath salts", which are basically things people ingest/snort/smoke to get high without taking actual drugs. Businessweek had a recent story about this trend that's a good read:

http://www.businessweek.com/pr...

Joshua

this stuff was big in London clubs in November 2009 when I was there. Like E but with a dreadful, suicidal next day I am told . . .

Roger_the_Shrubber

Abolish the DEA.

Bath salts? The country is plummeting down an economic bottomless pit, Iran is getting ready to start Armageddon and the government is worried about people getting off on bath salts?

A couple of weeks ago the Feds nailed some Amish farmers for selling unpasteurized milk to customers who prefer unpasteurized milk. I feel so much more secure now.

Enjoy your police state, it's for your own good you know.

jaycjay

Sigh. They're not bath salts that you would "soak your dogs" in. Bath salts are absolutely legal, and completely harmless. Notice how that press release says "bath salts" – that is, they put the term in quotes? That's for a reason. This story is about a type of drug called "bath salts", it's not about bath salts.

fleur_de_lis

good I was getting a little nervous!!

Trustafarian

exactly - they're in that weird legal drug category along with poppers and salvia (as well as some other gross stuff you can buy at a head shop)