Federal prosecutors are cracking down on businesses in mid Missouri that allegedly sold synthetic marijuana.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, four businesses and nine people were indicted earlier this month on charges of conspiring to distribute products labeled as "incense" but are intended to be used as an equivalent to marijuana. Prosecutors are citing a federal law that allows charges to be filed for sale of products containing chemicals that produce similar effects to marijuana and other controlled substances. Two of the businesses in the indictment are located in Columbia, the third in Jefferson City, and the fourth has two stores, one in Eldon and the other in Camdenton.
The indictments were handed down earlier this month, but were not announced until Friday due to the recent partial government shutdown.
