As part of Mayor Eric Adams’ newly announced crackdown on defamation, city marijuana cops raided and shut down illegal marijuana stores in the heart of Queens’ business district.
The Big Apple Sheriff’s Department and NYPD have shut down Western Green, an unlicensed smoke shop located at 81-27 Lefferts Street. Thursday at Kew Gardens.
Authorities seized bags of illegal marijuana, including flower and edibles in catchy packaging marketed to young people.
The raid was part of a crackdown Adams announced last week to enforce stricter new state laws that make it easier to padlock the city’s estimated 2,900 unlicensed marijuana stores.
Civic leaders from Community Board 9, which includes Kew Gardens, announced last week that they would oppose opening any new state-licensed cannabis stores in the area until all illegal smoke shops are closed.
“Marijuana enforcement officers are out. I saw them closing down businesses on Linden Boulevard,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said Sunday.
“Many illegal stores are mushrooming,” he says. “Other stores have removed their signs to hide illegal sales.”
But Richards said officials are still trying to reach the “eight-ball mark” given that there are far more unlicensed stores than the city’s 56 licensed pot suppliers, a total of 122 statewide. I’m behind it.”
During the raid on the Lefferts Boulevard store, a Post reporter who was on the scene saw a pink, yellow, and blue Malibu Cherry Pie with a flowered marijuana flower on it and a picture of Barbie on the cover. ” package was shown to me.
The back of the package says this pot was manufactured in Malibu, California.
Sergeant John said the smoke shop didn’t even bother to display the fake “Certificate of Authority” that legitimate shops are required to present in order to operate on the premises. Craig McCosker of the City Sheriff’s Office.
“They’re not paying taxes,” McCosker said of the fraud.
Licensed cannabis dispensaries must pay high taxes and purchase cannabis from licensed growers and processors.
Officials say the illegal marijuana comes from California, Mexico, Canada and the Middle East.
Enforcement officers also found flavored e-cigarettes, which are illegal.
A few blocks away, up the hill on Jamaica Avenue, an illegal “pre-roll” store sells marijuana in packages labeled “Stewart Fountain Classics” with a picture of an “Orangen Cream” ice cream stick. It was on sale.
By comparison, licensed cannabis distributors in New York state are prohibited from selling THC products in packaging that could attract young people.
The Bureau of Cannabis Control last week ordered licensed cannabis dispensaries to stop selling Pacwoods/Pax products that contain photos or images that resemble the red wax drip emblem on Maker’s Mark bourbon bottles. A notice has been issued.
“The issue concerns the appearance of the package cap, which features a ‘drop of paint’ motif that is appealing to individuals under the age of 21,” OCM said in a letter to a licensed cannabis dispensary.
Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday called for an overhaul of OCM to speed up licensing of legal marijuana dispensaries after the governor’s office released a damning report on OCM’s performance.
