Fresno receives $1.4 million grant to combat illegal tobacco sales

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The California Department of Justice is awarding the City of Fresno $1.4 million to crack down on illegal tobacco sales at smoke shops.

The city announcing staggering numbers Monday regarding how many shops are in close proximity to schools.

"85 percent of schools in Fresno are within a thousand feet of a smoke shop," said city attorney Andrew Janz.

That's 133 of the 155 schools in the city.

Janz said the majority of those smoke shops are selling flavored tobacco products, which are illegal in the state of California, adding many of the shops are repeat offenders.

Now with help from the state, the city plans to go beyond just holding shop owners accountable.

"I also have a message for property owners who lease their space to illegal operators: If you continue to allow your tenants to operate illegally, we will continue to issues you fines and place liens on your property," said Janz.

The grant money will fund more than 300 police and code enforcement inspections over the next three years, several decoy operations, and retailer education sessions.

"Out of all the inspections that we've done over the past year, 85 percent of those inspections have yielded illegal tobacco," said Janz.

That includes flavored vape products and unregulated cannabis.

The Fresno Police Department said the shops also attract other illegal behavior.

"We've found gang members, guns, other types of illicit drugs in these locations, even fentanyl in some cases.. which we all know how deadly that can be," said Chief Mindy Casto.

The funding from the state should be here by the new year.

That's when more widespread operations are set to begin.

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