Hearing in drug case tied to Westmoreland County vape shops to resume in January
A preliminary hearing for 12 defendants accused of running an illegal narcotics network tied to Westmoreland County vape shops will resume in January after a 10-hour testimony session.Summary
A marathon preliminary hearing for 12 defendants accused of operating a sophisticated illegal narcotics distribution network tied to Westmoreland County vape shops will resume in January. State attorney general agent Molly Galizia testified for over 10 hours Thursday about the investigation, which began with controlled buys and informants at local vape shops and led to September 2025 raids on warehouses in Plum, Bucks County, and Luzerne County. Authorities seized $18 million and more than 143,000 illegal drug-laced products, including vape items that tested positive for marijuana. A grand jury presentment indicated schoolchildren across Pennsylvania possessed illegal narcotics purchased from local vape shops. Defense attorney Eric Olshan argued the seized items were hemp-derived products and that state THC law is vague. Three defendants are from Western Pennsylvania: Divyesh Patel, Palak K. Patel, and Albina Kumar. District Judge Henry Moore presided and said he wants to ensure defendants get their day in court.
(Source：Home | Triblive.com)
