Store owner accused of peddling highly addictive opioid pain pills

The owner of a discount store in Lincoln County is accused of peddling highly addictive opioid pain pills.

Sheriff’s detectives accuse Mandi Uriah Smith of selling the pills during regular business hours at her J & M Discount Variety Store on N.C. 27 East near Lincolnton.

Smith, 39, of Iron Station, was arrested on Wednesday for the second time since March. She was charged with two felony counts each of trafficking opium or heroin by sale, trafficking opium or heroin by delivery and trafficking opium or heroin by possession.

She also was charged with four felony counts of maintaining a dwelling for controlled substances and one felony count each of sell and deliver a schedule II controlled substance and possession with intent to sell and deliver a schedule II controlled substance.

Smith was jailed on $478,000 bail.

Wednesday’s arrest came less than two months after sheriff’s narcotics detectives raided the store. Undercover detectives had bought pills there numerous times.

Smith was charged in March with trafficking opium or heroin and multiple other felonies after a search warrant led to the seizure of nearly 1 1/2 pounds of marijuana, more than 70 grams of oxycodone pills, two handguns, drug paraphernalia and $13,000 in cash.

This story was originally published May 17, 2017 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Store owner accused of peddling highly addictive opioid pain pills."