Multi-Agency Task Force Shuts Down Two Danbury Vape Shops Following Arrests and Seizure of Twenty Five Pounds of Illicit THC

Two Danbury vape shops were shut down and two clerks arrested after a multi-agency operation seized nearly 25 pounds of illicit THC and tobacco.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 5:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from WFSB

Operation Danbury: Targeted Compliance and Enforcement

The Danbury Police Department’s Special Investigations Division led a high-profile joint operation this week aimed at curbing the sale of unregulated cannabis products in the local community. Supported by the DEA, the Brookfield Police, and multiple Connecticut state departments, including Consumer Protection and Revenue Services, the task force targeted specific storefronts suspected of operating outside of legal retail parameters. The operation was launched in response to a surge in citizen complaints, many of which originated from parents concerned about the accessibility of high-potency THC products and nicotine vapes to minors.

Failures at Smoke Station and Cali Exotic Convenience

The focus of the sweep centered on two establishments located on White Street: Smoke Station and Cali Exotic Convenience. At Smoke Station, an undercover DEA agent successfully purchased marijuana from a clerk identified as Maria Luisa Anorga-Manrique. Investigators also observed Anorga-Manrique engaging in the illegal sale of tobacco to an underage individual. Simultaneously, at Cali Exotic Convenience, clerk Ala Ali Abdulla Ali was taken into custody after a similar undercover purchase of illicit cannabis was completed. Subsequent inspections by the Department of Revenue Services revealed that both shops were operating with expired tobacco permits, leading to immediate Stop-Work Orders and the total closure of both businesses.

Discovery of Concealed Narcotics and Drug Factory Components

The search of the two premises yielded a significant quantity of illicit substances totaling 24.55 pounds of raw flower equivalent. At Smoke Station, officers uncovered 9.75 pounds of THC products hidden within meticulously designed secret compartments, including false shelving and hidden wall units located near the cash register and in rear storage rooms. At Cali Exotic Convenience, the seizure was even larger, with 14.8 pounds of flower, oils, and edibles recovered. The presence of these hidden compartments and the bulk volume of the product led to charges related to the operation of a drug factory at both locations.