Wilton Simpson announces 5,000 pounds of ‘gas station heroin’ seized and destroyed

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced Thursday that approximately 5,000 pounds of raw and packaged tianeptine, commonly referred to as “gas station heroin,” were seized and destroyed along with THC-O from four Florida distribution facilities.

“We will relentlessly pursue and use the full force of the law to combat the proliferation of narcotics and illicit substances that continue to be found across Florida,” Simpson said.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement and Division of Food Safety seized and destroyed the illegal products, and the raw material used to make them.

They had been previously placed under stop-sale orders by inspectors to prevent any potential harm to consumers, according to Simpson’s office.

“Thanks to coordination with local and state partners, as well as the Florida Legislature, we are protecting our communities, particularly our children, from these dangerous products,” Simpson said.

Inspectors from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services seized the tianeptine and THC-O products from the following locations:

• Approximately 400,223 packages of THC-O products and approximately 35,961 packages of tianeptine products from Atofil LLC: 710 NE 19th Place, Cape Coral, FL.
• Approximately 87 packages of tianeptine products from Epic Wholesale: 2094 Beacon Manor Dr, Fort Myers, FL.
• Approximately 241 packages of THC-O products and approximately 354 packages of tianeptine products from FNM Distributing: 11495 S Cleveland Ave Unit A Fort Myers, FL.
• Approximately 3,264 packages of THC-O products and approximately 9,614 packages of tianeptine products from Summit Labs: 6375 Harney Road, Suite 106, Tampa, FL.

Thursday’s announcement follows the department’s previously announced seizures of over 1,900 tianeptine and THC-O products and 1,700 illegal hemp, THC-O, and Amanita Muscaria mushroom products from Florida businesses.

Attorney General Ashley Moody filed an emergency rule last month that prohibits the sale of tianeptine in Florida. THC-O is categorized as a controlled substance under federal and state law.

Simpson worked with Sen. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, and Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, during the 2023 Legislative Session to reform Florida’s food laws to protect consumers and children. 

They worked on a bill, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June, that adds age requirements for the purchase of hemp products intended for human consumption.

The legislation also protects Florida’s minors by prohibiting marketing that targets children, protects consumers by mandating that products sold in Florida be packaged in a safe container, and holds hemp products that are ingested to the same health and safety standards as other food products.

To enforce these law changes, the department conducted the largest ever inspection sweep of businesses selling products that contain hemp extracts in July and August, according to Simpson’s office.

The statewide inspection sweeps specifically targeted the sale of hemp extract products that are marketed to children, which is prohibited by Florida law.

The sweep included inspections of more than 700 businesses in all 67 Florida counties and uncovered over 83,000 packages of hemp extract products, including euphoric, high-potency THC products, targeting children. Since July 1, the department has uncovered over 98,000 packages of hemp extract products targeting children.