Pubdate: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 Source: Herald, The (SC) Copyright: 2003 The Herald Contact: http://www.heraldonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/369 Author: Tim Eberly Note: This article is posted as an exception to MAP policies not to archive minor pre-trial arrest stories, and not to alter archived articles from what is published. In light of the novelty of these charges, in a justified exception to our usual policies, this article is archived with the names of the accused redacted. 5 ARRESTED IN UNDERCOVER DRUG STING The York County drug task force arrested five people Friday after an undercover investigation at local businesses into the sale of detoxifying substances for masking drug tests. Five Rock Hill businesses, including three alternative stores and two GNC franchises, were caught in the sting, according to York County Sheriff's Office reports. Arrested were: [NAMES DELETED]. All except Maley have been charged with one count apiece of unlawful possession and sale of adulterants (first offenses), said investigator Jody Long of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Each misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Cook is the owner of Reggae Central, 232 S. Cherry Road, and Scott owns Pandora's Box, 2015 N. Cherry Road. Taylor is the manager of the GNC store at 725 Cherry Road. Maley and Moody are clerks at The Great Escape on Mount Gallant Road and the GNC store in the Rock Hill Galleria Mall, respectively. Cook and Maley also will be facing drug paraphernalia charges. Maley has been charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession of Hydrocodone. Scott also is facing a charge of possession of marijuana. It is not clear whether the owners of the stores where employees were arrested also will be charged. The suspects arranged to turn themselves in to authorities Friday afternoon, Long said. "Everybody seemed pretty adamant that they didn't know it was illegal to sell adulterants to cleanse your urine for drug tests," Long said. Selling detoxifying substances, or adulterants, which come in the form of liquid, pills and chewable tablets, is only illegal when businesses sell them to cleanse the system of illegal drugs, Long said. It became against the law recently, and authorities began enforcing it this year. "It's a matter of the person (store employee or owner) knowing that you're trying to defraud a drug test," Long said. York County narcotics officers began their investigation Nov. 12. The State Law Enforcement Division had been conducting similar investigations regarding the new law for the past several months, and York County authorities followed suit, Long said. They received information that customers had been going into The Great Escape asking about adulterants. Working undercover, the long-haired Long went into the alternative store Nov. 12 and inquired about detoxicants to cleanse his urine for an upcoming drug test, he said. "I kind of got that hippie look," Long said. The staffer he spoke with did not have any adulterants in stock but directed him to stores that did, Long said. From there, Long then went to Pandora's Box and Reggae Central and purchased detoxicants after explaining his purpose, he said. "They knew what I was talking about," Long said. "We didn't try and go overboard. We didn't try to entrap anybody." Shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, authorities executed search warrants at the three alternative shops. During the investigation, narcotics agents received information the GNC stores were selling the same products, Long said. Another undercover officer went to those stores between and 5 p.m., and bought bottles of "CHF" liquid from Moody and Taylor, reports said. In all, the task force seized 138 packages, bottles or boxes of adulterants from four of the businesses, reports said. Authorities seized $3,000 worth of drug paraphernalia from The Great Escape and $650 worth of the paraphernalia from Reggae Central. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman