The Sheriff’s office made arrests and confiscated illegal drugs from a Midtown smoke shop on Thursday, which also happened to be the unofficial cannabis holiday of 4/20.
Sheriff Anthony Miranda himself oversaw the joint operation with the office of State cannabis management, NYPD, and DWP that investigated “Weed World” located on 480 7th Avenue. This is part of a long-running, multi-agency crackdown that looks to trim the leaves off budding illicit storefronts throughout the city. According to Miranda, the task force found a bounty of illegal goods from cannabis to vapes.
“Everything you can think of illegally in the cannabis industry as well as the hemp industry, we found inside there and vapes and other things as well,” Sheriff Miranda told amNewYork Metro. “This is a significant amount. I’m sure that in future inspections will be seizing more than that. But this is a rather large amount that’s going to be coming out here.”
The Midtown South area has become known for housing heavy, public drug use over the last several years, and many feel as though illegal smoke shops have been a contributing factor to this epidemic of substance abuse. Yet this is just one storefront amidst many which pop up to sell illegal merchandise, not only in the vicinity of Midtown and the Garment District but all across New York as well. Currently, only five dispensaries are licensed to sell cannabis products legally within the Big Apple while only 8 are permitted statewide.
“They should follow the legal process that’s been established by the state and the city. And there’s plenty of help available to them if they want to participate legally. What you have here is another location that wants to participate illegally in the market. They have a lot of packaging downstairs and labels. So, you know the thing is not proper,” Sheriff Miranda said.
Miranda also emphasized that his department heavily investigates allegations levied at smoke shops accused of lacing their products. A former customer of “Weed World” told amNewYork Metro that she purchased a lollipop and it knocked her out cold.
“I was incapacitated, and I was on the subway. My friend looked at me and she said you don’t look normal,” Khristina said. “When I got home my body—it was not good. It didn’t feel high, it felt horrible. It lasted for like six hours.”
The task force could be observed packing bags upon bags of seized cannabis and other illegal products while according to the Sheriff’s office, the agency also towed a vehicle that was associated with “Weed World,” which also housed more illegal products. Two individuals inside the vehicle were also cuffed for allegedly possessing a weapon although sources did not say exactly what the weapon was at the time of the arrests.
Read more: NYPD Reports January Crime Trends and Data
