Officials in Suffolk County, New York are baffled after at least three “crack pipe vending machines” appeared on Long Island – sparking concerns that there may be more.
Residents of Brookhaven complained to authorities about the machines last weekend, while two have been removed and one was partially destroyed by the community, according to WABC-TV.
The blue and white vending machines, which featured the words “Sketch Pens” on the outside in black and red font, were mounted in cement into the ground and would dispense a small glass tube and a filter. Included was the top of a pen, which could be put into the glass tube to form a pen, along with an ink tube.
The “pens” cost $2 each, and the machines would accept the payment in the form of eight quarters. –WABC-TV
Pop up pen dispensers? Town of Brookhaven officials say people buying these pens in glass vials were using them as crack pipes. @News12LI pic.twitter.com/0Wl5MmsTQm
— Eileen Lehpamer (@ELehpamer12) September 10, 2018
“You think you’ve heard of everything,” said Brookhaven Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine. “I continue to be surprised by some of the audacity of those that would break the law in promoting drugs and drug paraphernalia.”
Local resident Scot Malz and a friend took a video of one of the vending machines on Saturday and posted it to Facebook.
“I wanted the community to see what was going on and try to get rid of it as quick as possible,” he said. “Because that’s actually a bad area for drugs.”
Danielle Blom said one was located just outside her apartment complex on Route 112 in Medford. She said an angry community member smashed it to pieces.
“We’ve been here for three years,” she said. “We’ve never had any problems, and now this. So it’s pretty disgusting.” –WABC-TV
Local police will decide if the machines warrant criminal charges.
“To sell a pipe is not illegal, but this is considered drug paraphernalia,” Town Councilman Michael Loguercio said. “And it also is being dispensed from a machine that was installed illegally per town code.”
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