More than a dozen smoke shops in Riverside have been shut down after targeted enforcement operations uncovered alleged criminal activity, police announced Thursday.
The Riverside Police Department conducted sustained enforcement operations targeting smoke shops they believed were operating unlawfully within the Magnolia Corridor and nearby areas in the city of Riverside.
The busts were initiated due to an increase in citizen complaints, observed narcotics-related activity and intelligence that indicated criminal conduct associated with several smoke shops, according to police.
Several of the shops were documented to have attracted individuals involved in ongoing criminal activity, which led to an increase in loitering, disturbances and calls for service in the surrounding area, police said…