Captain Burgess: Search warrant executed at Smoke City smoke shop; officers cite alleged marijuana distribution, illegal gambling

Captain Burgess of the Lee County Sheriff's Office narcotics division said officers executed a search warrant Jan. 15, 2025, at Smoke City, a smoke shop off Highway 19 in southern Lee County, in connection with alleged marijuana distribution and alleged commercial-gambling violations.

"We executed a search warrant here in reference to the distribution of marijuana as well as violations for commercial gambling and keeping other gambling places," Captain Burgess said. He told the public the retail business "has been the site of illegal marijuana distribution for several months" and that the office had received "numerous complaints." He also said investigators had purchased marijuana from the location on multiple occasions.

As evidence, Captain Burgess held up packaged material and said, "here's a whole jar full of it being advertised as 16%." He characterized that packaging and sale as contrary to Georgia law and emphasized that holding a business license does not make the sale of marijuana legal.

On outcomes, Captain Burgess said, "Multiple people are gonna go to jail from here," but did not specify how many people were arrested or formally charged. He urged anyone with complaints about this business or similar operations to contact the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office did not provide additional case details, charges, or arrest counts in the on-scene statement. The investigation was described as ongoing; the department has not released court filings or an arrest log as of this announcement.