Detectives from the Lexington Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division searched five businesses in the town on 5 November 2026 in an investigation into the sale of illicit and scheduled narcotics and drug paraphernalia.[1] The shops named were Essential Vapors at 205 Columbia Avenue, Kratopia at 5140 Sunset Boulevard, Planet Vapor at 912 South Lake Drive, The CBD Store at 5225 Sunset Boulevard and Energy Express Exxon at 1104 North Lake Drive.[2] The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the State Law Enforcement Division, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations assisted the town police.[1]

The investigation began in October, when officers went undercover to buy products from the businesses, according to a search warrant shown to one owner.[3] State Law Enforcement Division tests found the products contained Delta-8 THC, which the agencies treat as a Schedule I controlled substance in South Carolina, while the retailers say that reading of the law is wrong.[3]

Kratopia co-owner Virginia Gauthier said officers kept her in a corner of her store for five hours with two cameras pointed at her while they emptied boxes of inventory, and seized her computer, personal cell phone and the store’s security footage.[3] Gauthier said the agencies also took more than $3,300 in cash from her business, and she and her husband have hired Columbia attorney Seth Rose and plan to sue the agencies.[3] The CBD Store manager Christina Hunter estimated the search took nearly a quarter of the store’s inventory, including raw flower, rolling papers, gummies and THC vapes.[3] Lisa Kehoe, who oversees Planet Vapor’s nine locations, said the business had been running for 13 years and checks IDs, and would drop any product it is not supposed to stock.[3]

No arrests or charges were reported in the accounts of the searches, and police said more information could be released as the investigation continued.[4]