Phoenix agents bust synthetic drug makers, warn bath salts and Spice users

PHOENIX - Phoenix Drug Enforcement Administration agents confiscated more than 4,000 pounds of synthetic drug-making materials during a series of Wednesday search warrants associated with a nationwide sting called Operation Log Jam.

Agents raided seventeen locations throughout the Valley, in an attempt to prevent the manufacture of bath salts, Spice, and other similar synthetic drugs. 

Nationally, agents served search warrants in more than 100 cities and recovered enough drug-making materials to produce 19 million packages of drugs.

“Bath salts are no different than cocaine or methamphetamine,” said Doug Coleman, the DEA Special Agent in Charge for the Phoenix Division. “They are stimulants…and they do the same things to people that those drugs do,” he said, describing the dangers of the prohibited substances.

Many synthetic drugs are marketed towards kids, said Coleman, because of their colorful packaging and where they are sold. They can be found in head shops and convenience stores. 

According to a DEA press release, the synthetic drugs are often sold as “legal” substances, but they say, a few provisions in federal law make the drugs unlawful.

“While many of the designer drugs being marketed today that were seized as part of Operation Log Jam are not specifically prohibited in the Controlled Substances Act,” the press release reads, “the Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act of 1986 allows these drugs to be treated as controlled substances if they are proven to be chemically and/or pharmacologically similar to a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance.”

Coleman said people who possess and sell these drugs should consider themselves warned.

“It’s not a matter of if we’re coming; it’s a matter of when we’re coming.  We know what you’re doing.  We know why you’re selling these products.  We know what your purpose is, so we’ll be around, and we’ll be coming for you, he said.

Phoenix agents arrested seven people and seized 13 firearms in connection with Wednesday’s sting.  Nationally, ninety people were taken into custody.