#Tampa Smoke Shop Owner Arrested for Buying Narcotics on Dark Web

A Tampa smoke shop owner was arrested for buying narcotics on the dark web and selling them in the Bay Area.

#Investigation and Arrest

The Hernando County Sheriff's Office had been investigating Ryan Perez, the owner of two Hippie Crib smoke shops in Tampa, for over a year. A break in the case came on December 26, 2025, when a man died from an overdose in Pasco County. The investigation led to a search warrant for Perez's home, where authorities found:

• 2 pounds of MDMA, which was about 2 ½ times the strength of MDMA typically found on the street
• 10 counterfeit Adderall pills
• 14 ½ grams of LSD
• 2 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms
• 1 pound of marijuana plants
• 20 pounds of other types of marijuana

#Charges and Arrests

Perez was charged with:

• Trafficking MDMA
• Trafficking controlled substances, specifically LSD
• Possession of psilocybin mushrooms with intent to sell
• Drug paraphernalia
• Possession of marijuana in plant form, wax, and vapes

His wife, Adina Perez, was also arrested for having a trafficking amount of MDMA. Another person at the home was arrested for felony possession of marijuana.

#Dark Web Purchases

According to the DEA, Perez was using cryptocurrency to buy narcotics on the dark web. He was buying chemicals from China, India, and European countries, packaging them, and distributing them as vape cartridges, often with potent synthetic opioids and cannabinoids.

#DEA Investigation

The DEA obtained search warrants for the two Hippie Crib smoke shops in Tampa, where agents seized several firearms and crypto-machines. Special Agent Danny Escobar with the DEA Tampa Field Division stated, "The subject himself was buying chemicals from China, from India, from European countries, packaging it and distributing it from those locations. Those chemicals have all kinds of controlled substances in them. Unbeknownst to the user, they have potent synthetic opioids, cannabinoids, K2, spice, and a host of others. When you go buy these type of vape cartridges, you don’t know exactly what you are getting."

#Conclusion

Sheriff Al Nienhuis stated that he wasn't sure exactly how long Ryan Perez was operating in the Bay Area, but believes it was for a while. The investigation is ongoing, and Perez is currently being held.