Mayor Adams Celebrates Shut Down of More Than 750 Illegal Cannabis Shops Since Launch of "Operation Padlock to Protect"

July 31, 2024

Video available at: https://youtu.be/C0Do2TyUFb8

Multi-Agency Task Force Takes Rapid Action to Protect Communities with Focus on
Closing Illegal Cannabis Shops Near Schools, Houses of Worship, and Youth Facilities

Adams Administration Has Sealed 779 Illegal Locations, Issued Over $65 Million in
Civil Penalties, and Seized an Estimated $41 Million of Illegal Products

Follows Adams Administration’s Successful Advocacy for Legislative Action Taken by Governor Hochul
and State Legislature to Give Local Municipalities Enforcement Authority

NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Edward A. Caban, and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today celebrated milestone achievements in the city’s effective enforcement actions against illegal cannabis shops. Since launching “Operation Padlock to Protect” — a multi-agency task force made up of members from the Sheriff’s Office, the NYPD, and DCWP — the Adams administration has sealed a total of 779 shops and issued 41,502 counts of violations amounting to $65,671,487 in penalties. The city estimates it has already seized a total value of $41,443,792 in illegal products.

Over the month of July alone, “Operation Padlock to Protect” conducted several successful enforcement actions aimed at targeting the manufacturing, processing, and distribution networks of illegal cannabis suppliers across New York City. After conducting operations against , the task force delivered the biggest seizure of illegal products to date. These two operations alone resulted in a combined $8 million of illegal products being taken off city streets.

“In the three months since launching ‘Operation Padlock to Protect,’ our administration has delivered major results on a major quality of life and public safety issue,” said Mayor Adams. “To date, we have already sealed over 775 illegal cannabis shops, taken $41 million in illegal products off our streets, and issued over $65 million in violations, and these numbers continue to rise every day. For too long, illegal shops have contributed to a feeling that anything goes on our streets, while targeting our most vulnerable — including children — with dangerous, counterfeit products marketed as candy. But today, we are celebrating that this is no longer being tolerated and we are making huge gains to protect communities and usher in a legal cannabis market that will thrive. I thank Sheriff Miranda, Commissioner Caban, and Commissioner Mayuga for overseeing this highly successful enforcement operation. I also extend deep thanks to our partners in Albany, especially Governor Hochul, for giving us the legal authority we needed to stub out these illegal shops.”

“Earlier this year, I enacted new enforcement powers to quickly and permanently close the thousands of illegal cannabis retailers across New York selling potentially dangerous products — many of which are marketed to children and teens — and siphoning sales from hard-working, licensed store owners,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. "Today, I am pleased to join Mayor Adams and other officials to celebrate a milestone and recognize the enforcement teams who shut down more than 1,000 unlicensed stores statewide, bringing us closer to our goal of building the strongest, most equitable cannabis industry in the nation.”

“This is not just about an unlicensed cannabis shop selling weed; they are undermining the legal market — the people who follow the rules — by evading taxes, distributing untested products, and jeopardizing the safety of our neighborhoods,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “More importantly, they distribute products that haven’t been tested. These products could have additive chemicals and other unknown substances that are harmful to our kids and the communities where these shops open up. In addition, these shops are dealing with cash, which act like magnets to crime and robberies. Our children, parents, and grandparents are walking by these shops during robberies gone wrong, which is why it’s much more than just an illegal cannabis shop.”

“We want to thank Mayor Adams for his leadership in securing the changes in the law that drives and empowers law enforcement action,” said Sheriff Miranda. “These unlicensed, illegal, and unregulated stores target underage children, endangering the health and safety of all our communities. We thank the many members of all the agencies that make up the Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force for their dedicated work. We recognize the critical role our partners in the community play in identifying these illegal locations, ‘Operation Padlock to Protect’ will continue to respond to your complaints.”

“In all the work we do, the safety and quality of life of the people we serve remains our top priority,” said NYPD Commissioner Caban. “And enforcement against unlicensed and illegal cannabis shops is an important part of our shared public-safety mission. It is absolutely critical that industry regulations are enforced, that shop operators follow the rules, and that we keep these products out of the hands of our children. The New York City Police Department will continue to listen to concerned New Yorkers who demand safe neighborhoods free from these illegal operations, which put both our residents and the legal market at risk. The NYPD is proud to partner with the mayor and the New York City Sheriff’s Office in this important effort, and we thank them for their tireless dedication to public safety.”

“The sale of unlicensed cannabis products poses a danger to our neighbors, especially our children,” said DCWP Commissioner Mayuga. “We want all businesses to follow the law, but we won’t hesitate to take action against businesses illegally selling nicotine or cannabis products. Thank you to the mayor, and our partners in the Sheriff’s Office and at the NYPD, for collaborating with us on protecting the health and safety of our neighbors.”

Following Mayor Adams’ successful advocacy in Albany for municipalities to be given the regulatory authority by the state to finally shut down illegal cannabis and smoke shops plaguing city streets, New York City moved quickly to execute its legal authority, and accelerated its steady enforcement. With the newly granted local authority, the Adams administration has executed a five-borough strategy to finally end this public health and safety issue.

“Operation Padlock to Protect” systematically conducts joint operations in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, which include inspections and follow-up inspections. When operators are ordered to be sealed, local NYPD precincts monitor those locations to ensure compliance and alert the Sheriff’s Office when violations of the seal order occur.

Record-high closures build on praise by New Yorkers, who join the administration in prioritizing decisive action against this public safety and quality of life nuisance. “Operation Padlock to Protect” is an example of the Adams administration’s efforts to double down on its commitment to swiftly shut down illegal operators, protect the city’s children, improve quality of life, and facilitate a safe and thriving legal cannabis market. 

The legalization of cannabis is intended to create a new economy to emerge in New York state, while addressing the harmful impact of the “War on Drugs” on Black and Brown New Yorkers. For New York City’s new cannabis economy and justice-involved businesses to thrive, the city and state must protect the development of the legal market. To do so, the Adams administration launched Cannabis NYC under the New York City Department of Small Business Services to provide free resources and services for all New Yorkers interested in the cannabis industry. Cannabis NYC has engaged over 5,000 New Yorkers on its five borough “Lift Off! Cannabis NYC” public education, listening, and outreach tour and over 200 New Yorkers have participated in the FastTrac for Cannabis Entrepreneurs sessions, which connects legal cannabis business owners and entrepreneurs with free, high-quality training and advice delivered by leading voices in the legal cannabis industry. 

The Adams administration is focused on addressing the quality-of-life issues New Yorkers care about even beyond the proliferation of illegal cannabis shops. Mayor Adams recently announced the city has seized 42,000 illegal mopeds, which contribute to disorder on city streets and further facilitate criminal behaviors. To address the miles of scaffolding that have taken over city streets for decades, the administration’s “Get Sheds Down” initiative has removed over 5,453 sheds and 55 percent of all permitted sidewalk sheds have been taken down since the initiative began in July 2023. And, to address retail theft, the administration announced a pilot program to enable businesses to voluntarily integrate their security cameras with their local NYPD precinct.

In 2023, Mayor Adams launched the Community Link initiative to bring together various city departments and agencies to work with the community and business leaders to address complex and often chronic community complaints that require a multi-agency response. Participating city agencies include:

• DCWP
• Fire Department of the City of New York
• Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health
• New York City Department of Buildings
• New York City Department of Environmental Protection
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
• New York City Department of Homeless Services
• New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
• New York City Department of Sanitation
• New York City Department of Small Business Services
• New York City Department of Transportation
• NYPD
• Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York

Since its inception, Community Link has already convened five community improvement coalitions throughout the five boroughs. Over the last 18 months, these coalitions have responded to over 800 complaints and conducted over 600 operations to address quality of life concerns raised by the communities they serve.

“You cannot take a step in any direction in my Harlem district without encountering a smoke shop or glaring advertisement for cannabis," said New York State Senator Cordell Cleare. “As these shops try to lure kids with colorful packaging and tasty treats and flavors, I have a bill which attempts to educate our young people about the dangers. These places attract violence, but they open without any regard for their location - next to schools, senior centers, or residential neighborhoods. I support the closing of the illegal cannabis shops with Operation Padlock to Protect. Keeping our communities safe is always our number one priority.”

“I was proud to mobilize New Yorkers across all five boroughs to pass the SMOKEOUT Act in the state budget, authorizing the city to shut down illegal smoke shops for good,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Mayor Adams, Sheriff Miranda, and Commissioner Caban immediately sprung into action with the spectacularly successful ‘Operation Padlock to Protect.’ We have already closed over 750 unlicensed cannabis shops, almost half of all shops in New York City, in a matter of weeks. That is 750 fewer shops attracting armed robberies and selling to children, tons of unregulated cannabis off our streets, and tens of millions of dollars in more tax revenue to invest in communities. This demonstrates what we can achieve when all levels of government come together to address the issues facing New Yorkers.”

“Time after time, we have found illegal cannabis shops selling dangerous counterfeit products that are directly marketed to children,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “These stores, which sell untaxed and unregulated products, are the source of countless community complaints. Legal vendors are making safety and compliance their top priority and they shouldn’t be undercut by lawbreakers. Shutting these unlicensed stores down is a team effort, and I thank our partners at the Governor’s Office, the Mayor’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, and the NYPD for their commitment to removing these illegal businesses from our communities.”

“The proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated cannabis shops poses a public safety threat all around our city, and I commend the Governor and Mayor for taking decisive action," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. "We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement and government through joint initiatives, like our new Midtown Community Improvement Coalition, to root out illegal shops and ensure a safe, fair, and regulated cannabis market,” 

“The unprecedented rise in unlicensed smoke shops has had a negative impact on our communities, affecting the safety of our residents through the distribution of untested and unregulated products while threatening the success of licensed cannabis entrepreneurs who have gone through the process to operate a legitimate business in our city,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “My hope is that today’s announcement under the 'Operation Padlock to Protect' initiative, sends a clear message that we are committed to protecting the health and well-being of our neighbors and that these unlicensed shops are not welcome in our neighborhoods.  I want to thank Mayor Eric Adams, District Attorney Darcel Clark, New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda, New York City Police Department Commissioner Edward Caban, and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga for addressing this urgent issue. We will continue to work with the Sheriff's office, NYPD, community partners, and our colleagues in government to permanently close these illegal smoke shops.”

“Illegal cannabis shops peddle unregulated, low-quality products and undermine our efforts to establish a legal cannabis economy rooted in fairness and social justice,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “There is no place for illegal cannabis operations in Queens or anywhere in our city. I wholeheartedly support the efforts to take decisive action to shut down these illegal shops.”

“Illegal smoke shops continue to pose a problem and negatively impact the quality of life, not to mention safety concerns, in neighborhoods across Staten Island and the city,” said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella. “We committed to improve the quality of life for our residents and took action. We thank Mayor Adams, Sheriff Miranda and Commissioner Caban for working with us to identify illegal smoke shops and shut them down.”

“Congratulations to the mayor for advocating for a state law that gave New York City the authority to padlock the illegal smoke shops,” said New York City Councilmember Gale Brewer. “With great cooperation from the Sheriff and his staff, as well as the personnel at DCWP, NYPD, and the New York City Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, many of these illegal shops have closed. Our goal was also to support the legal dispensaries, and their business is way up with this effort.  I hope that by the opening of school in September, 'Operation Padlock to Protect' will be so successful that students will not be able to find illegal cannabis. I was one of the first elected leaders to call for the sealing of these unlicensed cannabis businesses, and I look forward to continued updates and success regarding enforcement that is effective.”

"We commend City Hall for taking decisive action to address the issue of illegal cannabis stores in our city," said Lisa Sorin, president, the Bronx Chamber of Commerce. "By shutting down these unlicensed operations, we are not only protecting consumers from potential harm, but also creating a level playing field for licensed businesses. 'Operation Padlock to Protect' ensures compliance with regulations and promotes a safe and responsible cannabis market in our community."

"It’s good to see the power of enforcement at work to close down unlicensed cannabis shops throughout the city,” said Linda Baran, president and CEO, the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. “We commend Mayor Adams and the multi-agency task force for their efforts to shut down illegal outlets that pose a threat to the health, safety, and vibrancy of our community.”

"Creating a sustainable and thriving legal cannabis industry in New York starts with removing the bad actors from the marketplace," said Randy Peers, president and CEO, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. " The Adams administration is undertaking all the steps necessary to ensure that illegal cannabis shops, and the many issues they create in our neighborhoods, are finally removed from the equation."

"The city's record enforcement of 'Operation Padlock to Protect' represents a key milestone in protecting public safety and supporting Staten Island's market of small businesses that comply with the law," said Mike Cusick, President and CEO, the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation. "We applaud these efforts by Mayor Adams and our public partners to uphold quality of life and promote safer commercial corridors for business owners, consumers, and youth."

“We applaud Mayor Adams and 'Operation Padlock to Protects'' swift action to shut down unlicensed cannabis dispensaries," said Robert J. Benfatto and Erin Piscopink, co-chairs, NYC BID Association. "These stores often sell untested products that do not meet the state’s rigorous standards and present a clear danger to both people and retail corridors. The explosion of unlicensed stores has altered the storefront landscape in NYC, and we must all work together to help fill these spaces with businesses that are good actors who follow all applicable laws. We look forward to working with our agency partners on next steps.”

“The Garment District Alliance is grateful to Mayor Adams and the members of the multi-agency task force for their aggressive pursuit of illegal weed shops," said Barbara Blair, president, Garment District Alliance. "These establishments degrade the quality of life in our neighborhood and endanger the public by selling unregulated products. We are encouraged by the progress of 'Operation Padlock to Protect' in shutting down these illicit businesses and helping to restore order to our communities.”

“Finally, some relief from the illegal cannabis stores that marketed to children, carried unregulated products, and were a magnet for crime and disorder,” said Tom Harris, president, the Times Square Alliance. “Thank you Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, and the multi-agency team led by Sheriff Miranda for closing nine of the thirteen unlicensed cannabis stores that have plagued Times Square for far too long.”

“This initiative quickly and effectively delivered on its promise,” said Dan Biederman, president, 34th Street Partnership. “In the 34th Street district we have already seen half of all illegal shops close and vacate their storefronts, definitively ending their operations. In just two months the mayor’s initiative has had a significant, positive impact on Midtown streets.”

“We commend Mayor Adams for leading the charge in taking this aggressive quality of life enforcement action around the city,” said Fred Cerullo, president and CEO, Grand Central Partnership. “In our Midtown East neighborhood, this multi agency initiative has padlocked three illegal weed shops. proving that this Administration will not tolerate this illegal business activity that has been a blight on our communities.”

"Illegal cannabis shops have not only undermined the safety of our city, but have also put the credibility of regulated vendors at risk," said Madelyn Wils, interim president, the Fifth Avenue Association. "We commend Mayor Adams and his team on their commitment to 'Operation Padlock to Protect,' which safeguards New Yorkers from the dangers of unlicensed smoke shops while also preserving the integrity of our city's legal cannabis market."

"The closure of these illegal cannabis stores is a good start, and there remain more to be closed," said Dirk McCall de Palo, executive director, the Sunnyside Shines Business Improvement District. "We thank the New York City Sheriff, the Queens District Attorney, the NYPD, and the mayor for their good work."

"Unregulated cannabis stores pose significant risks to public health and the economic vitality of our neighborhoods," said Zach Owens, executive director, the West Village Business Improvement District. "We are pleased to have collaborated with the Adams administration to help identify local unlicensed establishments and commend their dedicated efforts to shut down these illegal operations, helping to preserve the integrity and vibrancy of our neighborhood."

“Unlicensed, illegal smoke shops are a blight on commercial corridors throughout the City of New York and we applaud this aggressive action to put them out of business," said Rob Byrnes, president, the East Midtown Partnership. "We are grateful that the Adams administration understands that there is no room for illegality in our economic recovery.”

"The potent success of 'Operation Padlock to Protects' is palpable in our business district, with four illegal shops recently shuttered, two of which we reported directly to authorities, said Kelly Carroll, executive director, the Atlantic Avenue Business Improvement District. "We will not tolerate illegal cannabis shops," said Kelly Carroll, executive director of the Atlantic Avenue BID in Brooklyn. "These sordid enterprises brought crime to our neighborhoods, imperiled the health of our community with dangerous products, and unfairly took business away from our licensed cannabis shops."

"The Chinatown Partnership is grateful to the Adams administration for their work in ending the scourge of illegal cannabis shops," said Wellington Chen, executive director, the Chinatown Partnership. “Illegal cannabis shops create a sense of unease for our community that is not helpful. They also cost the city—on both the government and community levels—of valuable time and resources in dealing with their existence.”

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