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Cannabis crackdown: 31 NY businesses raided, 1K pounds of illegal pot seized

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Published  June 23, 2023 7:24am EDT
Cannabis
FOX 5 NY

Cracking down on New York unlicensed pot shops

FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the story.

NEW YORK CITY - New York is getting serious about weeding out illegal pot stores.

At a Thursday morning press conference, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the results of a massive cannabis crackdown that led to the seizure of 1,000 pounds of unlicensed product.

NYC bakeries raided

FOX 5 NY's Robert Moses got an exclusive ride-along with police as a recent crackdown happened.

"Illegal cannabis was seized from 31 businesses in New York, Albany, Ithaca and Binghamton," Hochul said. "The estimated value of the seized cannabis over a two-week period is $9 to $11 million."

Newly-passed legislation

Thanks to newly-passed legislation, the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) can now:

  • Fine unlicensed shops up to $10,000 per day.
  • If sales continue, the fine doubles to $20,000.
  • For repeat offenders, the state can pursue a court order and padlock the store.

"Right now, the criminal enforcement personnel at the Tax Department, in conjunction with the enforcement personnel at the Office of Cannabis Management, are working together and jointly inspecting stores where we believe illegal cannabis is being held or sold," Amanda Hiller, acting commissioner at the Department of Taxation and Finance, explained.

Challenges with opening cannabis businesses

FOX 5 NY's Arthur Chi'en shows us dozens of prospective dispensary operators who say they're being blocked by the state from selecting their own storefronts.

It comes as recreational pot in New York is off to a rocky start.

The first legal dispensary opened its doors in late December, and now, roughly six months later, there are just 15 state-approved cannabis shops. Hochul said by September, there will be two more.

"Sometimes it takes a while to get it right, and the process has not been easy," she admitted.