It didn’t take long to smoke these guys out.
Police raided an illegal marijuana store in Brooklyn on Monday. The next day, an enraged weed worker told the authorities to shut down his shop, boasting that he would “not commit violence.”
The Sheriff’s Office and NYPD raided the Gelato Marijuana store on 86th Street in Bay Ridge, hours after The Post reported on the store and the proliferation of unlicensed marijuana dealers throughout the city. A large quantity of cannabis edibles were seized.
Sheriff Anthony Miranda, who was at the scene, told the newspaper: “We are happy to respond to complaints from local residents.”
The raid came after the worker offered a Post reporter a joint on Sunday and said his promise to padlock illegal stores was “nothing new.”
“There was always the possibility of an attack here,” the worker said. “But I’m not going to quit my job!
“I’ll set up a table outside and sell on the street. I won’t think anything of it! You shouldn’t touch other people’s money!”
The worker promised everyone that he would “adjust”, adding: “They’re housing illegal immigrants and paying them to get votes for Biden, so this is what they’re going to do? Why not come and raid a pot shop?
City Councilor Justin Vranagh, who represents the area, mocked the store as authorities searched the store.
“Let’s play silly games and win silly prizes. If you’re running a completely illegal business, you better not talk crap in the New York Post or mock the authorities. Just a thought, ” Brannan wrote to X.
Brannan later told the Post that Gelato had been on the community’s “radar” for some time.
“I support the legalization of recreational cannabis, but unless we get more licenses and seriously address illegal cannabis stores masquerading as legal dispensaries, new retail permits from the state will be worthless. “And the tax revenue will be far from what we expected,” Brannan said.
On Sunday, more than a week after Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul held a victory-lap press conference calling for stricter state laws that would make it easier to padlock unlicensed marijuana stores, the Post reported that many Visited suspicious locations. — But the change was not immediately followed by the promised crackdown.
Many illegal cannabis stores quickly reopened after being raided or ordered to temporarily close.
“Gelato has been on our radar for a while now and has been raided several times, so a new law just passed in Albany will finally put this issue right and bring it to New York City.” “Everyone expects us to give them the power they should have had all along,” Brannan added.
The store is just one of more than 100 illegal marijuana stores The Post was able to identify in a short period of time by contacting a handful of elected officials, community boards and business groups.
Southern Brooklyn Community Board 10 — Covers Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, and Fort Hamilton — Over 20 illegal cannabis stores have been identified.
Mayor Eric Adams claimed last week that while there are 2,800 illegal smoking establishments in the city, there are only 53 state-licensed dispensaries in the city and 116 in the entire state.
