Police officers from two communities raided a Bristol business and recovered a stash of narcotics and an illegal handgun on Tuesday afternoon. The owner was arrested and taken to the ACI.

On Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Bristol Police, in conjunction with officers from the Newport Police Department, served a search warrant at Sip Sip Hooray, located at 576 Metacom Ave. in Bristol. Sip Sip Hooray is advertised as a nutrition center and juice bar located inside the Belltower Plaza.

Newport Police narcotics officers contacted Bristol Police after receiving information that the owner of the business, Justin Welch, 27, of 10 Madeleine Drive, Newport, was storing narcotics inside of the establishment for the purpose of distribution. Bristol Police applied for and were granted a court-authorized search warrant for the establishment.

Upon entering the establishment, police located a 9 mm handgun, cocaine, fentanyl, pills, and other drug-related paraphernalia. Mr. Welch is currently being held at the ACI in Cranston on charges from Newport Police and will be arraigned on Bristol Police charges at a later date. Welch will be charged by Bristol Police with three counts of manufacturing/possession and delivery of a schedule I/II controlled substance, second offense, possession of schedule I, II, III, IV, V narcotics, and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence/fugitive from justice.