Two South Thomaston men were arrested July 3 and are facing charges of aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs (bath salts) following searches at the South Thomaston home and Waldoboro business of one of the men.
Following a three month investigation, agents from the Mid-Coast District Task Force executed two search warrants simultaneously at 3 p.m. at Hoffman Collectibles on Route 1 in Waldoboro and the home of the business’s owner, Herman “Rusty” Hoffman, 39, of South Thomaston, according to a Maine Drug Enforcement Agency press release.
Hoffman was arrested at his home, and his brother, Michael Hoffman, 38, also of South Thomaston and an employee at the business, was arrested at Hoffman Collectibles.
At Herman Hoffman’s residence agents seized 301 capsules of APVP bath salts, approximately one gram of Pentylone bath salts, three handguns that were stored with the drugs, approximately $25,000 in drug proceeds, seven Maine EBT cards that Hoffman allegedly received as payment for drugs, and several Maine motor vehicle inspection stickers that were reported stolen, according to the release.
At Hoffman’s Collectibles in Waldoboro, agents seized 199 capsules of APVP bath salts, approximately $1,500 in drug proceeds, strips of Suboxone, and drug ledgers, according to the release.
The search warrants were obtained after a three-month investigation that revealed Herman Hoffman was allegedly distributing bath salts from his home and business at a price of $12 to $15 per capsule, according to the release.
The investigation and execution of the search warrants were conducted with the assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Waldoboro Police Department, Rockland Police Department and the Maine State Police.
Herman Hoffman was arrested taken to the Knox County Correctional Facility and his bail was set at $2,000. He bailed out the same day, according to jail personnel.
Michael Hoffman was arrested and taken to the Waldoboro Police Department, where he was released on unsecured bail.
Additional charges related to the case are expected, according to the release.
