Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman announced Wednesday that a record $1 million civil penalty was secured by the state against a former Colorado Springs convenience store that illegally sold synthetic marijuana, commonly known as “spice.”
In May 2014, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section sued Popo Wee Mart and owner Jin Ju Kim for selling the drug at the store, according to a Colorado Department of Law news release.
Law enforcement agents had previously seized spice at the store prior to the lawsuit, the release said.
This is the third spice-related judgment the Attorney General’s Office has seen in the last seven months.
Spice-related penalties worth $100,000 were approved in Boulder County District Court last September against a Longmont-based tobacco store and in the Arapahoe County District Court last November against an Aurora retailer, the release said.
“Spice is a very dangerous product that needs to be taken off the street,” Coffman said. “I hope this significant penalty will send the desired message to other retailers who think about selling Spice (sic) that the penalties for doing so will be extreme.”
Elizabeth Hernandez: 303-954-1223, ehernandez@denverpost.com or
