Authorities raid NY shops allegedly selling black-market Cannabis
Authorities raided five storefronts in upstate New York for allegedly selling illicit cannabis without a state license earlier this week as part of a recent crackdown on black-market marijuana sales.
Enforcement teams with the state Office of Cannabis Management inspected the unlicensed marijuana shops in the cities of Ithaca and Binghamton on Tuesday and Wednesday, seizing an undisclosed amount of illicit cannabis products from the stores, officials said.
The agents also issued notices of violation against the shops for selling cannabis without a license, which can carry fines of up to $10,000 per day, plus potential additional penalties. The allegations will be reviewed by an administrative law judge.
If the shops are caught continuing to sell marijuana, authorities could issue further penalties and close the storefronts, officials said.
Which upstate New York cannabis shops got raided?
The shops issued notices of violation included:
- Black Leaf − 103 East State Street, Ithaca.
- Zaza Convenience − 101 East State Street, Ithaca.
- The Rezz − 312 Fourth St, Ithaca.
- Green Magic − 144 Henry St., Binghamton.
- Takeoff 2 − 63 Chenango St., Binghamton.
The cannabis shop raids upstate followed similar crackdowns in New York City last week, which resulted in violation notices against 11 unlicensed shops, officials said.
State officials on Thursday said the illicit cannabis products seized during the inspections are being inventoried, and further details about the amount and value will be released in the future.
Why is NY cracking down on black-market marijuana?
The unlicensed cannabis shop crackdown stemmed from new state laws that allow authorities to issue higher civil and tax penalties for illicit cannabis sales. Gov. Kathy Hochul and lawmakers approved the laws earlier this year. The effort came after black-market marijuana has been linked to the shooting of a Rochester police officer, a deadly Yonkers apartment building fire and a 44% spike in cannabis-related emergency department visits in New York. Officials have also estimated more than 1,000 illicit cannabis shops were operating statewide in recent months.
How does NY shut down illicit cannabis shops?
The cannabis regulators, as well as agents with the Department of Taxation and Finance, plan to conduct follow up inspections to ensure unlicensed activity has ceased at the shops issued violation notices. The shops were also issued an order to cease the illicit cannabis sales.
If continued unlicensed cannabis activity is found, authorities can petition the state Supreme Court to order the retail space padlocked shut until the location complies with the cannabis law and regulated regulations, officials said.
Further illicit cannabis activity at the shops can also bring an additional per-day penalty of up to $20,000. Further, any businesses that remove the notice of violation or warning affixed to the storefront face an additional fine of up to $5,000.
