17 arrests made in Operation Vapor Trail, multi-agency investigation into Onslow

The investigation focused on the illicit trade of controlled substances, vaping paraphernalia and tobacco products emanating from local “vape shops,” specifically the impact of many of the products on local children. 71 total stores were raided on April 3 as part of the effort.

The investigation led to the arrest of 17 people, including an operator of a warehouse in New Hanover County, where many products, including a large amount of marijuana, were seized.

“The focus on this investigation, originally, was the vapes,” said Onslow County Sheriff Chris Thomas. “However, marijuana has been discovered in some of these shops as well, and we’re targeting the distributer as our main target, and we’re moving forward in that direction.”

Thomas said Onslow County schools have had over 290 vaping incidents just this school year. North Carolina actually ranks second highest in the country for underage children using vaping products.

According to Thomas, the investigation is ongoing, but many of the items seized have trademark violations, as well as THC amounts well above the legal limit of 0.3.

Within the past year, the FDA has made reusable vaping products illegal, but Thomas explained that a loophole in the law has allowed disposable vapes to remain on the market.

“Many of these products come from China, with little or no regulation about what they contain,” Thomas said. “Most of these items are packaged in packaging that’s appealing to children, many of which have trademark violations with them, and they are directed directly at children to get them to use them.”

Thomas said his office has seen incidents where people purchased gummy products from these stores, and then it got into the hands of children who ended up needing medical attention because of the high amounts of THC.

Others in attendance during Monday’s press conference included Jacksonville Police Chief Michael Yaniero, District Attorney Ernie Lee, New Hanover County Sheriff Ed McMahon and NCIS’s Kelly Parish.

“My office will aggressively prosecute these cases,” Lee said. “I’ve been in contact with the sheriff and the chief and different other agencies. I’ve actually assigned a senior prosecutor to head this up, and I’ll be working with him on these. I’ve got a list of the defendants that have been charged so far and we will be proceeding accordingly.”

Yaniero said he spoke with Senator Michael Lazzara, who has also pledged his support in addressing these issues from the state level. In addition, a crisis counselor has been conducting classes at Onslow County middle schools on the dangers of vaping.

A recent amendment to the city’s Unified Development Ordinance has also put regulations in place for new vape shops, standards that will keep these stores from being built in close proximity to places like schools, daycares and parks.

“Our emphasis on youth is imperative. We must educate them on the dangers of substance abuse and empower them to make choices that will allow them healthy lives,” Yaniero added.

Charlene Zorn, the stepmother of a 15-year-old boy who passed away last year from vaping, also spoke during the press conference.

Solomon was a freshman and football player at New Hanover High School. In March 2023, he began exhibiting severe cold symptoms, and it was first believed he had bronchitis.

However, despite treatment, Solomon got worse. A month later, he was seen by a pediatric pulmonologist, who could immediately see he had popcorn lungs from vaping. She tried to help him, but he continued to decline.

On June 16, Solomon collapsed. A CAT scan found he had several spots of fluid around his lungs and heart. He coded several times, being worked on for more than an hour before being transported to the hospital.

Unfortunately, Solomon was brain dead, and his family had to make the difficult decision to take him off the ventilator.

“As his stepmother, I will never give up,” Zorn said. “I’ll be happy to tell anybody anything. I will tell people in public, what are you doing? My friends know, don’t come anywhere near me with a vape, because I will be in your face. Yes, it’s more dangerous for children than it is adults, but it’s killing people in general. Children seeing adults using it, they think it’s acceptable. Vapes were designed to help people quit smoking. It hasn’t done that.”

As a result of the operation, 104.29 pounds of schedule I substances, were seized, as well as around 3,006.30 pounds of THC/marijuana products and $855,557 of US currency.

Agencies involved included JPD, OCSO, NCIS, Drug Enforcement Administration, New Bern Police Department, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Carteret County…