Law enforcement officials raid Perrysburg business

A Perrysburg police officer is parked outside Glow Industries Inc. in Perrysburg.

The Blade/Andy Morrison
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A Perrysburg police officer is parked outside Glow Industries Inc. in Perrysburg.

A co-owner of a Perrysburg business that was raided today said he was shocked that agents confiscated about 1,000 counterfeit cans during a police raid.

"This is very surprising," Jason Glowacki, president and co-owner of Glow Industries, said at a news conference this afternoon across the street from the Eckel Junction Road business. Mr. Glowacki said that had had started receiving calls early this morning from some of the company's 46 employees at the wholesale product distributor that police had turned them away and prohibited them from entering when they arrived at work.

Mr. Glowaski wouldn't comment on the investigation, but said the company has provided the can products since coming to Perrysburg in 1996.

Attorney General spokesman Jill Del Greco said the search warrant for Glow Industries, 12962 Eckel Junction Rd., was executed at 8 a.m. and finished about 10 a.m. Agents with BCI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Perrysburg Police, the Wood County Sheriff's Office, the Wood County Prosecutor's Office and the Ohio Pharmacy Board participated in the search.

Ms. Del Greco said an investigation that began last summer with the Fairfield/Hocking Major Crimes Unit in Lancaster, Ohio, led authorities to northwest Ohio. Authorities raided the Perrysburg business with the belief that the owners were selling the counterfeit stash cans, which she described as false bottom containers that have trademarked names on them, for example Coca-Cola, but can hold drugs and other items. She said a similar investigation was being handled in the southern counties.

Some of the agencies at the scene participated in case narcotics were found inside the facility, however, none was discovered during the raid, she said. 

Ms. Del Greco would not comment on who within the business was being targeted.

Glow Industries describes itself on its Web site as a wholesale manufacturer and product distributor of "glass sex toys, smoking accessories, and alternative lifestyle products" for more than 30 years. The site states that the company was founded by Jason Glowacki and his father, Dave, in 1978 following "the success of its three-store chain of The Shed retail stores in Toledo" and is the distribution arm of the retail stores.

Laura Csomos, an attorney for Glow, released a statement today regarding the raid. She said the company has been in business for nearly 40 years and its business activities have always been legitimate. She said they have complied with all applicable laws and regulations. She said they will continue to cooperate with the investigation but that they had no further comment.

The company is co-owned by David Glowacki. In 1997, Mr. Glowacki, who at the time owned the former The Shed on East Wooster Street in Bowling Green, was found guilty of selling drug paraphernalia from his business, which was located a block from Bowling Green State University.

Convicted of one count of knowingly selling, possessing, or manufacturing paraphernalia for drug use, he was given a suspended 90-day jail sentence.