Disturbing discovery made at West Chester U. apartment, authorities said
A photo shows some of the drug-laced candy police found at a West Chester University apartment.
Police seized more than 40 pounds of drug-laced candy from an apartment at West Chester University’s South Campus, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.
“With Halloween just around the corner, the last thing we want to see is drug-laced candy hitting the streets,” said Chief Deputy District Attorney Patrick Carmody in a news release. “This was good work by the police to pick off this load of drugs before it went to college students or kids.”
The investigation started when police found several West Chester University students in a car on campus, with the smell of marijuana emanating from the car. The police then worked backwards from questioning the occupants of the car all the way to the apartment in the 800 block of South New Street, where police recovered the candy, said West Chester University Police Chief Michael Bicking, who praised the work of his officers.
A tennis ball (left) shows the scale of the drug-laced candy found by police.
The candy was laced with THC-laced, which means that it contains the active chemical ingredient from marijuana. The drug-laced candy varied in size from small hard candies to candies the size of a small orange. The drug-laced candy was wrapped in groups of plastic bags for easier sale and distribution, the release said.
Although Carmody said “this appears to be an isolated incident and we have seized all of the drugs involved,” he said it is a good time to remind parents to check their children’s candy and to discard anything that looks suspicious. “We want all of our kids to stay safe,” he said.
Carmody said the candy was traced to at least one West Chester University student, who was suspended and is no longer on campus. Carmody said he will be arrested on various drug charges, but the investigation is ongoing, and anybody with information should contact Sgt. Matt Paris at the West Chester University Police Department or the Chester County Detectives at 610-692-5100.
How would the average parent know if the candy their kids get is laced with this drug?
Authorities believe the targeted audience for the candy that was seized was likely college kids, but they want to remind parents to be vigilant. If your child comes home with something that is not commercially packaged and didn’t come from your favorite neighbor who likes to put her own treat bags together, you might want to check with local police.