TEMPLE, Texas — The Temple and Belton Police Departments executed multiple “evidentiary search warrants” on Friday, June 13 at multiple vape and smoke shops across the two cities, Temple PD announced.

According to the Temple Police Department, the Special Investigations Unit opened an investigation into numerous vape and smoke shops in the Temple and Belton area starting in January of 2025, citing “information provided by citizens of the community and fellow officers who expressed concern about the type of inventory being sold.”

Temple Police said the investigation became “widespread”, including assistance from the FBI, Waco Police Department, Killeen Police Department, Bell County Sheriff’s Office, and Belton Police Department, working in conjunction with Temple Police to purchase and test items from the stores.

During the investigation, Temple Police said “it became apparent” that products in the stores were “mislabeled” and allegedly incorrectly claimed to be in compliance with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill.

Temple PD stated the department purchased “numerous items that claimed to be in compliance” and tested them at the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab and NMS Laboratory, while the Belton Police Department used Armstrong Laboratories to test their items.

The department said lab results confirmed that some of the products displayed in the stores were “mislabeled and not actually in compliance.” Temple PD stated results from every shop tested showed the product referred to as “flower” and the “flower” pre-rolls were not in compliance with the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill as labeled, and tested positive for marijuana over the allowed 0.3%.

Multiple shops that claimed to be selling THC-A products produced a lab result of Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol, according to Temple Police.

The City of Temple stated the raids took place at the 100 block of S 25th Street, the 400 block of N 3rd Street, the 4300 block of S 31st Street, the 6500 block of W Adams Avenue, the 5700 block of W Adams Avenue the 2800 block of W Adams Avenue, and in Belton at the 2600 block of N Main Street.

According to the City, Section 297A of the H.R. 5485 2018 Farm Bill states, “The term ‘hemp’ means the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

Temple Police said certified letters will be sent to the locations informing the owners that their products have been tested by DPS Crime Lab and the NMS laboratories and are confirmed to contain illegal amounts of THC.

The case is currently under investigation, according to police.