Bath salts, Spice, $10,000 worth of synthetic drugs confiscated by Indian River County deputies

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies confiscated more than 500 packets of designer drugs during a sweep Wednesday.

The Indian River County Sheriff's Office went to 42 stores and found more than $10,000 worth of bath salts and Spice. The state outlawed both substances in March, following an emergency temporary ban last year.

Spice, which is synthetic marijuana, is marketed as incense under various names. The stimulants used in the packets marketed as bath salts make them a substitute for cocaine, officials said.

No stores in Indian River had bath salts on their shelves during a sweep held in early 2011.