Law enforcement officials in Anoka County this week seized a record number of illegal THC vaping cartridges.

Investigators with the Northwest Metro Drug Task Force executed a search warrant Monday night at a residence in Coon Rapids, where they arrested one man and seized nearly 77,000 THC vaping cartridges, state and local law enforcement officials announced Tuesday. THC is the main psychoactive compound in marijuana.

Charges have not yet been filed against the suspect in the case, said New Hope Police Chief Tim Fournier, whose department participated in the raid.

UPDATE: Champlin man charged with first-degree drug crimes following 77,000 marijuana vaping cartridge bust

The cartridges, which are believed to have been imported from out of state for distribution in Minnesota, have an estimated street value of $3.8 million, Fournier said.

Vaping cartridges — particularly those that contain THC — are currently the subject of a nationwide public health investigation. At least 530 users have been stricken with serious lung illnesses, with nine deaths reported so far. In Minnesota, 43 cases of vaping-related illness have been reported and one person has died, according to the state Department of Health.

Although it is too soon to know whether the cartridges seized Monday are connected to any Minnesota cases of vaping-related illness, all Minnesota patients interviewed by state investigators have admitted to using illicit THC vaping cartridges, said Daniel Huff, assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health.

“We urge everyone: do not use illegal THC cartridges,” Huff said. “We currently have Minnesota children who are on mechanical ventilation due to this vaping injury.”

The confiscated cartridges are packaged under the brand name “Dank Vapes,” with bright colors and names such as “Apple Jacks,” “Cherry Kush” and “Fruity Pebbles.”

“Companies target our young people,” Huff said. “When you are selling cotton candy flavored and bubble gum flavored products, we suspect that is targeting children.”

E-cigarettes, vapes, e-pipes and other vaping products are battery-powered devices that allow users to inhale aerosolized liquid called juice, which typically contains nicotine and various flavorings.

Although THC vaping is legal with a prescription under Minnesota’s medical marijuana law, recreational use of THC vaping products is not. Minnesota’s two state-regulated medical marijuana manufacturers earlier this month assured patients that their products are safe.

Illegal THC vaping cartridges — some of them manufactured by reputable firms, others bootleg — are frequently confiscated by Minnesota law enforcement authorities, said Brian Marquart, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s statewide gang and drug enforcement coordinator.

These busts typically net between 5,000 and 10,000 cartridges, Marquart said. Monday’s haul of 76,972 is the largest ever seized in Minnesota.

“To say the least, the investigators who led this investigation were surprised at the quantity,” said Fournier, the New Hope police chief.

Officers with the Northwest Metro Drug Task force learned over the summer of a suspect selling large quantities of THC vaping cartridges, Fournier said. The subsequent investigation led to the search warrant executed Monday night.

Fournier said charges against the man arrested during the raid are expected Wednesday.

Pioneer Press reporter Nick Ferraro contributed to this article.