Last week, the Office of Public Safety, the New York City Police Department, and the Department of Consumer and Labor Protection in New York City began implementing the “Operation Padlock to Protect”, using enforcement powers delegated by the New York State government to expedite the closure of nearly two thousand illegal marijuana and tobacco shops in New York City. Just one week into the initiative, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the new measures had led to the closure of 75 illegal tobacco and marijuana shops, with nearly $6 million in fines issued.
Mayor Adams stated on May 14th, “The first week of ‘Operation Padlock to Protect’ demonstrates something we have continuously emphasized: with the authority and legislative support, the government can swiftly take action to combat illegal marijuana and tobacco shops.”
In the mid-April budget bill, Governor Hochul granted New York City the authority to shut down unlicensed marijuana shops. Adams announced the launch of “Operation Padlock to Protect” on May 7th and integrated the Office of Public Safety, the Police Department, and the Department of Consumer and Labor Protection, among other units, into the “New York City Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force”.
The task force conducted inspections at tobacco and marijuana stores on May 4th, 7th, 9th, and 11th, closing down businesses illegally selling marijuana. According to the Mayor’s office, during the first week of operations, the task force conducted 150 inspections targeting unlicensed shops near schools or churches selling marijuana, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) edibles, THC e-cigarettes, tax-free cigarettes, flavored tobacco, flavored e-cigarettes, or other tobacco products.
The Joint Compliance Task Force issued 77 cease and desist orders, 370 violation notices, involving 3,878 violation charges, and sealed 75 unlicensed businesses, with civil fines exceeding $5.96 million.
The Mayor’s office indicated that when illegal tobacco or marijuana shop owners were ordered to cease operations, local police precincts in New York City would monitor these locations to ensure compliance. In case of violations of the closure order, the Police Department would issue warnings to the Office of Public Safety and could arrest shop owners disobeying the Office’s orders.
In a statement on May 14th, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz mentioned initiating eviction proceedings against dozens of illegal marijuana dispensaries, acknowledging that it might be a lengthy process. She expressed gratitude to the Mayor for providing additional tools to swiftly and decisively eliminate these unlawful operators.
Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon also released a statement, highlighting collaboration with the Police Department, the Office of Public Safety, imposing multimillion-dollar fines on unlawful operators, seizing thousands of pounds of illicit substances, and arresting dozens of individuals.
“While we have seen some success, it is not enough. Previous restrictions imposed by New York state law hindered our ability to effectively hold illegal tobacco shops accountable. But now, thanks to Governor Hochul and Mayor Adams, our enforcement partners finally have the authority to promptly seize contraband and shut down illegal dispensaries. I look forward to continuing to work with law enforcement personnel in the coming weeks and months to close down these harmful dispensaries,” the statement concluded.