Police seize illegal flavored tobacco, psilocybin mushrooms from Livermore stores
Livermore police seized illegal flavored tobacco and other illegal products from two businesses in the city last week, including psilocybin mushrooms from one.
On Jan. 17, police did compliance checks at six local businesses to ensure they were following California's state law prohibiting the sale of flavored tobacco products.
The state bans the retail sale of most flavored tobacco products and tobacco product flavor enhancers, imposing fines of $50 per prohibited product.
Officers found two businesses that weren't compliant. At one, officers seized various illegal products, including psilocybin mushrooms. The owner could face up to $68,000 in fines.
At another business, a plainclothes officer bought flavored tobacco. Following an inspection, police seized all flavored tobacco products in the store. That owner could face up to $7,500 in fines.
Last month, Livermore police did similar compliance checks, during which they also seized illegal products.
These enforcement activities are supported by an $82,000 three-year tobacco enforcement grant from the California Department of Justice.