NY seizes 11,000 pounds of pot worth over $54M from illegal storefronts
Carl Campanile
Authorities have seized more than 11,000 pounds of illegally sold cannabis products worth more than $54 million following the latest round of inspections of unlicensed storefronts last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration announced on Monday.
The Office of Cannabis Management also said the state won a court case on Nov. 21 that will make it easier to padlock and permanently close illegally operated marijuana stores going forward.
Inspections just last month led to the seizure of 812 pounds of flower, 701 pounds of edibles, and 61 pounds of cannabis concentrate, with an estimated value of $7.3 million.
This year, 350 locations were inspected — 88 of which have been re-inspected over the past year — bringing the haul to 11,000 pounds of pot valued at $54 million
“As we look ahead to this next chapter in New York’s cannabis market, we continue to prioritize safety across the state by working diligently to shut down illegal operators,” said Chris Alexander, executive director of Office of Cannabis Management.
“The number one remedy for the problem of these illicit shops is getting more legal businesses open. New Yorkers want to know where their products are coming from, and they know they can rely on safe, trusted, and locally grown cannabis when they walk into one of our legal dispensaries.”
Earlier in the spring, Hochul and the legislature approved a law stiffening penalties against unlicensed operators that have sprouted up across New York City, as many as 1,500 according to Mayor Eric Adams and Sheriff Anthony Miranda.
Officers with the New York City Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force with marijuana confiscated from illegal stores.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state lawmakers failed to adequately address enforcement of illicit operators when they approved the law legalizing the adult use and sale of marijuana in 2021, leading to a massive black market before the legal market even got off the ground.
Fines for the illegal sale of cannabis now start at $10,000 per day and can rise up to $20,000 per day for continued egregious conduct and additional fines can assessed.
The law allows regulators to seek a court order to ultimately padlock businesses found to be in repeated violation of the law.
In addition, the law makes it a crime to sell cannabis and cannabis products without a license.
New York State currently has 27 licensed adult-use cannabis dispensaries, 12 of which are located in the city.
Regulators also have approved 44 Cannabis Growers Showcases, or farmers markets where marijuana products are sold.
Frustrated cannabis industry licensees and applications have complained of a slow and rocky rollout, caused in part by lawsuits.
There were 426 licensees were impacted by the lawsuits, and farmers have complained of getting stuck with mountains of spoiled marijuana plants they’ve been unable to sell.
The Hochul administration and cannabis control board last week settled a discrimination lawsuit alleging that the state favored convicted pot felons over disabled veterans in the awarding of licenses to sell legal marijuana.
A court injunction issued in August blocked new licensing and store openings, leaving the pot industry in legal limbo.
With the legal problems cleared up, state regulators are expected to ramp up approval and opening of new licensed cannabis shops in the coming months.
https://nypost.com/2023/12/04/metro/pot-worth-more-than-54m-seized-from-illegal-ny-storefronts/.
