Neighbors React To Spice-Selling Business Bust

Police arrested 11 people for trafficking the marijuana-like substance called spice, right out of an Idaho Falls business this weekend.

Suspects sold spice in an old bank building on the 1400 block of Cambridge Drive. It’s empty now but neighbors said was packed with customers up until Saturday.

Reporter Jessica Crandall spoke with a man, who wishes to remain unnamed for safety reasons. He works in a collections office right across the street from Incense Inc.

He said the business moved in about four months ago, but when he and his co-workers made a trip over to welcome their new neighbors — they got the cold shoulder.

“We just saw them standing around right across the street and it looked like they were just smoking,” said the neighbor. “They were just really suspicious and leery of what we were doing and the first thing they did is they shut their back door.”

But they couldn’t shut out the law.

Joelyn Hansen, with the Idaho Falls Police Department, said officers began investigating Incense Inc. back in December.

“They had some evidence that tested positive for the components that are on the banned list that makes spice a banned product,” said Hansen.

So, on Saturday night, it all came to an end for 11 people.

Police arrested each one on felony charges.

The suspects range in age from 18-44, with both men and women involved.

Business must have been a booming one, because police confiscated 800 packages of spice.

At $50 a pop, that comes to a total of $40,000 in evidence.

“I know there are a lot of people in the public that are concerned about spice, and so for us to be able to make this type of arrest is big for our community and for our department,” said Hansen.

As for our concerned neighbor? He said he’s just glad Cambridge Drive is a little safer.

“I’m surprised that it happened and I’m glad it did. It keeps drug dealers out of the streets and kids from doing it too,” he said.

Hansen said Incense Inc. functioned just like a regular business and even had a license to operate.

Spice caught the attention of Idaho lawmakers during the 2010 legislative session.

They put a temporary ban in place for several months before passing legislation. Gov. Otter signed a bill in March making it illegal to use, sell or buy the chemicals to make spice.

In its early days, the synthetic substance was perfectly legal to use.