The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

The owners of this now closed Camdenton business have found themselves under arrest after a lengthy multi-state investigation. (Reporter file photo)

Published July 16, 2014

Hippie Spirit owners busted

CAMDEN COUNTY - Federal charges connected to the importation, manufacture and nationwide sale of synthetic drugs such as “K2” and “bath salts” have been leveled against the former owners of a small business in Camdenton.

According to the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group (LANEG), Camden County had a significant increase in the distribution and abuse of synthetic marijuana and bath salts (synthetic cocaine) in 2012.

“During this increasing trend, law enforcement identified several Camden County business establishments who were selling synthetic marijuana and bath salts,” a LANEG spokesman said. “One of these local business establishments was ‘Hippie Spirit‘, which was owned by Brett and Sherri Beeman from O’Fallon, Mo.”

LANEG officers along with the Camden County Sheriff’s Office and the Camdenton Police Department executed a narcotic related search warrant at “Hippie Spirit” on July 13, 2012.

“As a result of the search warrant, approximately 754 packages of synthetic marijuana, items of drug paraphernalia used in the distribution and consumption of controlled substances,” LANEG stated.

The large scope of the investigation brought in a myriad of law enforcement agencies that assisted LANEG: the DEA, ICE, IRS, US Postal Service, and other law enforcement agencies in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana,

This resulted in the Beemans and 26 others being arrested.

“As a result of these indictments, the forfeiture of assets linked to the sale and distribution of synthetic marijuana and bath salts could be seized,” LANEG stated.

LANEG credits their success to local and surrounding law enforcement agencies’ and the public’s cooperation.

“If you have any information regarding a possible methamphetamine laboratory, growing of marijuana, or other information about the distribution of narcotics, please contact your local law enforcement agency or you can call the following toll free numbers to reach LANEG. 1-888-823-METH(6384) or 1-800-BAD-WEED(223-9333),” LANEG stated.

All callers have the option of remaining anonymous.

LANEG is a multi-jurisdictional drug task force which serves Camden, Crawford, Gasconade, Laclede, Maries, and Osage counties with an approximate population of 200,000 residents.

The task force serves the cities of Lebanon, Osage Beach, Camdenton, Cuba, Steelville, Bourbon, and Belle.

LANEG employs five Task Force officers and is coordinated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol who additionally supplies one trooper to the task force.

LANEG focuses its efforts on drug enforcement by conducting both covert and overt narcotics investigations in the counties and cities they serve.