Nesquehoning police on Thursday executed a search warrant on a gas station/convenience mart on the east end of the borough whose employees are suspected of selling illegal 'designer' synthetic drugs.

According to a search warrant request filed Wednesday by Police Chief Sean Smith with District Judge Edward Lewis of Jim Thorpe, officers wanted to search the Solo gas station at 701 E. Catawissa St., for controlled substances, drugs and related devices.Police found quantities of narcotics during the search, as well as cash and a shotgun. They have yet to release details of any pending charges.In the request, Smith detailed his years of experience in drug law enforcement to support his belief that the gas station /convenience store was the site of drug-related criminal activity."Based on my training and experience, the subject business is being used for the ongoing illegal trafficking of narcotics," Smith wrote. "It is common for those engaged in the illegal sale of narcotics and the use of narcotics to have controlled substances present in the business in addition to books, records, receipts and notes relating to the purchases, transportation, ordering, sale and distribution of controlled substances."The search warrant request was triggered by an incident last month, Smith wrote.On Feb. 12, Smith arrested a suspect and seized narcotics from the person's vehicle: Two plastic bags of "Climaxx" incense, one plastic bag of "Nightmare" incense, and one "Kush Kake /Brownie," which contains suspected synthetic marijuana.The suspect stated that the drugs were purchased at the Solo station from a white, blond male cashier, who is 5'7" and in his early 20s. The suspect told Smith that he/she had purchased narcotics from the cashier on prior occasions, and purchases narcotics "all the time" from the business, and that it also sells "bath salts." Large quantities of bath salts are in a cabinet kept below the cash register, the suspect told Smith.Last June, Pennsylvania lawmakers, alarmed by the increase of bizarre, often violent behavior of those who had ingested the substance marketed as "bath salts," which mimics the effects of methamphetamine, made their possession, use and sales illegal as of Aug. 21. The restriction also includes synthetic marijuana, which is often marketed as "incense," and a hallucinogen called 2-Ce and salvia.Upon signing the law, Gov. Tom Corbett cited the case of John Eremus, then 46, of Nesquehoning, who on March 24, 2011, held police at bay for two hours with a high-powered rifle after ingesting bath salts. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Eremus told Smith he had bought the bath salts on March 18, 2011, at the Solo gas station.In his search warrant request, Smith wrote that he sent an informant into the Solo station in February with $100 in recorded advanced funds to purchase narcotics from the same male who had allegedly sold them to the suspect. The informant bought a green bag of "Super Strong" incense, a packet of "Down2Earth Climaxx" incense, a glass vial of "Agent Green" incense, and a glass vial of "Black Rooster" incense.Smith identified the cashier as Shawn McHose.Smith had the 'incense" tested at the state police Wyoming Regional Laboratory. The results showed it to be synthetic marijuana.Earlier this month, Smith again sent an informant into the Solo station to buy drugs from McHose. The informant was given $60 and bought a blue and purple glass vial of Black Rooster Classic incense and a light green glass vial of tequila incense.Smith also sent an informant to the Solo station to buy narcotics from a female cashier, Heather McHose. The informant was given $60 and bought Scooby Snax Potpourri Scooby Snax and Down2Earth Climaxx Power Plant Fragrant Potpourri.