Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson today announced the seizure and destruction of approximately 5,000 pounds of raw and packaged tianeptine, commonly referred to as “gas station heroin,” and THC-O from four Florida distribution facilities. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and Division of Food Safety seized and destroyed the illegal products, and the raw material used to make them, that had been previously placed under stop-sale orders by inspectors to prevent any potential harm to consumers.
“We will relentlessly pursue and use the full force of the law to combat the proliferation of narcotics and illicit substances that continue to be found across Florida,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “Thanks to coordination with local and state partners, as well as the Florida Legislature, we are protecting our communities, particularly our children, from these dangerous products.”
FDACS inspectors seized the tianeptine and THC-O products from the following locations:
- Atofil LLC: 710 NE 19th Place, Cape Coral, FL
- Approximately 400,223 packages of THC-O products
- Approximately 35,961 packages of tianeptine products
- Epic Wholesale: 2094 Beacon Manor Dr, Fort Myers, FL
- Approximately 87 packages of tianeptine products
- FNM Distributing: 11495 S Cleveland Ave Unit A Fort Myers, FL
- Approximately 241 packages of THC-O products
- Approximately 354 packages of tianeptine products
- Summit Labs: 6375 Harney Road, Suite 106, Tampa, FL
- Approximately 3,264 packages of THC-O products
- Approximately 9,614 packages of tianeptine products
Attorney General Ashley Moody filed an emergency rule last month that prohibited the sale of tianeptine, or “gas station heroin,” in Florida. THC-O is categorized as a controlled substance under federal and state law, §893.03(1)(c)190, Fla. Stat.
Today’s announcement follows the department’s previously announced seizures of over 1,900 tianeptine and THC-O products and 1,700 illegal hemp, THC-O, and Amanita Muscaria mushroom products from Florida business.
During the 2023 Legislative Session, Commissioner Wilton Simpson worked with Senator Colleen Burton and Representative Will Robinson to reform Florida’s food laws to better protect consumers and children. SB 1676 added age requirements for the purchase of hemp products intended for human consumption, protected Florida’s minors by prohibiting marketing that targets children, protects consumers by mandating that products sold in Florida be packaged in a safe container, and holds hemp products that are ingested to the same health and safety standards as other food products.
To enforce these law changes, the department conducted the largest ever inspection sweep of businesses selling products that contain hemp extracts in July and August. The statewide inspection sweeps specifically targeted the sale of hemp extract products that are attractive and/or marketed to children, which is prohibited by Florida law. The sweep included inspections of more than 700 businesses in all 67 Florida counties and uncovered over 83,000 packages of hemp extract products, including euphoric, high-potency THC products, targeting children. Since July 1, the department has uncovered over 98,000 packages of hemp extract products targeting children.
For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov.
