Smoke shop busted for synthetic pot

GREEN BAY - A Green Bay smoke shop was busted for synthetic pot sales, but it doesn't end there. Investigators call it the biggest raid of its kind in Brown County, involving hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and drugs.

Michael Denis, the owner of Imports Plus on Broadway, and store clerk Amy Richards have both been charged with selling a kind of synthetic marijuana.

It all began when authorities learned Imports Plus was allegedly selling synthetic marijuana. The drug is banned in Wisconsin. The Brown County Drug Task Force decided to send in undercover officers.

"We made four purchases, two of which were from the owner," said Lieutenant Dave Poteat.

Poteat said in September, a raid at the business yielded three truck loads of synthetic marijuana, drug paraphernalia and cash.

He added police found more than 400 packages of drugs and some cash during the search at Imports Plus, but the investigation didn't end here. It only grew after detectives searched Denis' Suamico home.

"We did not find the business records we would expect to find there which is one of the things that led us to the residence," Poteat said.

Poteat said cash was found all over the house, including two grocery bags full of money in a bedroom.

"There was a little over $334,000 that was seized there, again, in cash and coin. It was packaged in numerous packages," said Poteat.

In a van outside, investigators said they found another $8,700 in cash and synthetic drugs.

And detectives say they also discovered $40,000 at two different banks.

"It took us about six hours at the bank to count it with cash counters, so it was a lengthy process," Poteat said.

Poteat said he believes the nearly $400,000 comes from synthetic drugs sales dating back to the spring of last year. Officials said they also found a ledger documenting the illegal sales which matched up with receipts and cash found in the home.

Businesses in the Broadway district we spoke with said they didn't know what was going on.

"I'm surprised and I'm not surprised that he had that much, you know if he was doing it for that long he's going to make some money I guess," said Chad Brinker, store manager at Surfin Bird.

Both Denis and Richards have both pleaded not guilty and have trial dates set. Imports Plus remains closed as Denis remains in jail. His attorney did not respond to our call for comment.