Crate after crate of confiscated, illegal cannabis and other products filled the Bronx warehouse where Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams and law enforcement personnel took a victory lap Wednesday over the success of “Operation Padlock to Protect.”
The program combating the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops citywide has shut down more than 750 illegal smoke shops across the five boroughs. The warehouse in the Bronx’s Wakefield neighborhood was lined with shelves holding up big crates of assorted, seized products – plastic bags of dried marijuana buds of an unknown origin, gummy candies in bags resembling popular mainstream snacks, and even cannabis contained inside what appeared to be crayon boxes.
The paraphernalia, Mayor Adams charged on July 31, underscores the belief that the illegal smoke shops are generally marketing to children.
“If you look at what’s happening in the industry, there’s a clear switch to really start focusing on our children. When you look at some of the products that are familiar to young people to attract their attention, and even using a video game that is containing cannabis-type products, it says it all,” Adams said. “These places are becoming disruptors in the quality of life.”
Under Operation Padlock to Protect, Adams said, the city has issued over $65 million in civil penalties and seized an estimated $41 million in illegal products since May. The takedowns have been performed jointly by the NYPD, Sheriff’s Office, and the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP).
Adams noted that several takedowns in June yielded some $8 million of illegal products. While exactly 779 shops have been closed in the Big Apple, Hochul pointed out that hundreds more have also been shuttered across the state.
“Earlier this year, I enacted new enforcement powers to quickly and permanently close the thousands of illegal cannabis retailers across New York selling potentially dangerous products — many of which are marketed to children and teens — and siphoning sales from hard-working, licensed store owners,” Hochul said. “Today, I am pleased to join Mayor Adams and other officials to celebrate a milestone and recognize the enforcement teams who shut down more than 1,000 unlicensed stores statewide.”
Law enforcement agencies charged that illegal smoke shops not only take business away from licensed cannabis dispensaries, they also draw crime, including robberies and gun violence. The illegal vendors also sell unregulated products that pose a health hazard to consumers.
“Enforcement against unlicensed and illegal cannabis shops is an important part of our shared public safety mission. It is absolutely critical that industry regulations are enforced, that shop operators follow the rules, and that we keep these products out of the hands of our children,” NYPD Commissioner Caban said.
In addition to taking aim at the business owners, the Sheriff’s office also say they are issuing fines to landlords to remove illegal smoke shops from the neighborhoods.
