Police said prostitution and drugs are a big problem in the North Main Street area of Dayton. They said the neighborhood is a frequent target enforcement area.
During a recent prostitution investigation, detectives learned a Marathon gas station was selling all the items needed to smoke crack in a convenient prepackaged bag, according to authorities.
Lt. Pat Welsh said there is only one purpose for the items to be sold together. He said that is to smoke crack cocaine.
Welsh said detectives seized 2,100 unused pipes from the gas station on North Main Street. He said investigators also found hundreds of Brillo pads that were used as filters in the pipes.
According to Welsh, the most disturbing items that were found were the 38 small brown bags that were prepackaged kits, containing a pipe, Brillo pad and a lighter. Welsch said the kits were being sold for $3.
Donald Dominick who lives nearby said he is aware of the drug problem in the area. However, he is trying to change things but passing out flyers at the Marathon station, offering addicts help.
NewsCenter 7 spoke to the owner of the Marathon gas station and he said he had no idea what the items were being used for or that it was illegal to sell them. He also he did not know that a former employee was packaging the items together.
Police said the station is no long selling the items. The owner said he and his family is doing everything possible to try to help clean up the neighborhood.
Authorities said they are still investigating the case and are discussing misdemeanor charges against the business and its owner. They said no one has been arrested.