Counterfeit THC candies pulled from shelves at 4 stores in Roxboro

The 145 counterfeit products were in packaging designed to look like regular candy, including Nerds and Sour Patch Kids, and even Oreos and cereals like Cocoa Puffs. The items were pulled from shelves just weeks before Halloween.

According to the Roxboro Police Department, 126 of the 145 items violated copyright laws, and police are concerned people could easily confuse them for everyday candy brands.

On Oct. 12, officers removed the items from:

According to a Facebook post, the investigation "was a proactive approach to get these items out of stores in order to keep them out of hands of children who may have believed that they were candy."

THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive ingredient in pot and can deliver the feeling of calmness people associate with getting high.

While recreational marijuana remains illegal in North Carolina, CBD and THC products can be purchased. Under the 2018 Farm Bill Act and state law, you only need to be 18 to buy THC; however, misleading packaging could put children at risk.

It's recommended every year that parents inspect Halloween candy before allowing their child to eat it. Parents should throw away candy that looks like it has been tampered with or marked on and dispose of any candy that is fully or partially unwrapped.

Roxboro Police Chief David Hess says none of those convenience stores carrying the items are facing charges.

"The law says that they have to have knowledge, and this was more of an education and inform campaign," he says. "We had no prior information that there might be counterfeit goods out there, but with Halloween coming up, we wanted to ensure that there were no dangerous products on the streets for our community."

Hess says there is no evidence to suggest any of the items seized contain fentanyl or illegal amounts of THC, but the misleading packaging is a problem, especially ahead of Halloween.

"Counterfeit consumer goods are getting more and more realistic, and so we really encourage shoppers to pay attention to what they're purchasing. Shop from very reputable businesses," says Hess.

Hess says there is no evidence to suggest any of the items seized contain fentanyl or illegal amounts of THC, but rather that the misleading packaging is a problem, especially ahead of Halloween.

Should you be worried this Halloween about Fentanyl disguised as candy?

Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram explains, "Children are not the target market for drug dealers. It doesn't benefit them to lace candy with fentanyl", which is expensive.

However, parents should be concerned about rainbow fentanyl being marketed to middle school, high school, and especially college-aged children.