Tobacco shop employee arrested for selling THC to undercover agents in Utah

MURRAY, Utah (ABC4) — An employee at a tobacco and vape store in Murray was arrested Tuesday for allegedly selling THC to undercover agents on multiple occasions, according to arrest records obtained by ABC4.com.

Sandeep Mandadapu, 24, faces five charges, including two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to resell (both third-degree felonies), two counts of money laundering (both second-degree felonies) and one count of use or possession of drug paraphernalia (a Class B misdemeanor).

According to the probable cause affidavit, undercover investigators conducted investigations at the tobacco shop in Murray in recent weeks.

Mandadapu was an employee at the store, and on June 19, undercover agents purchased a product from him. According to the documents, Mandadapu sold them THC wax that, according to testing by the Utah Department of Agriculture, had a THC content of about 60%.

“During this controlled purchase, the sworn undercover agent observed Mandadapu taking the advance funds and entering them into the register,” the arrest documents state.

On June 25, officers were granted a search warrant for the tobacco shop.

That same day, undercover agents made another purchase from Mandadapu, and Mandadapu again put the money in the cash register. After the second purchase, agents entered the store to execute the warrant and arrest Mandadapu.

In a conversation with officials, Mandadapu explained that he receives a share of the proceeds from the sale of marijuana products, which often amounts to about $100 to $150 per day.

During the search of the store, agents seized money from the cash register and confiscated “a large quantity of THC and marijuana products,” the documents say.

Mandadapu was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Tuesday afternoon.