Business busted on suspicion of selling drug paraphernalia

Mike Swanson

The South Laguna business whose only sign outside is a large image of

Bob Marley was shut down last week after several neighbors reportedly

complained to police that their children were buying pipes and bongs

there.

The shop, which does business under the name of Family Krafts, has

a permit with the city to sell stained- and hand-blown glass. Police

reportedly found 647 bongs and pipes along with small amounts of LSD,

mushrooms, marijuana and hashish at around 11 a.m. Sept. 18.

Police arrested a 20-year-old North Carolina resident on the

scene, but he was released immediately and found to be unaffiliated

with the business, Sgt. Danell Adams said.

California Health and Safety Code 11364.7 makes delivering,

furnishing or transferring pipes, bongs and several other kinds of

specified paraphernalia to minors or adults illegal, City Atty. Phil

Kohn said. In the past, “head shops” have gotten away with selling

the paraphernalia by saying their intended use is for tobacco for

buyers 18 and older.

“In 28 years, I have never seen anyone put tobacco in a glass

pipe,” Adams said.

Adams said there was one small display case near the entrance that

had small, ornate figurines. Another small room had some pornographic

material, but most of the shop’s space was taken up by drug

paraphernalia.

“What brought this to our attention is the attraction to minors,”

Adams said. “These are not the kinds of crafts that this city

condones selling. My idea of crafts is paper, glass and scissors.”

Laguna Beach police are conducting a thorough investigation and

trying to find the business’s owners and operators.