NEW YORK (PIX11) – A smoke shop in the East Village was caught selling illegal weed and cannabis-related products on Friday, according to a city hall spokesperson.
An inspection of the smoke shop resulted in the seizure of 100 pounds of products, which included pre-rolls, THC vapes, and edibles that were marked and labeled to children, officials said.
“We want to thank the community for being our eyes and ears for illegal activity throughout the five boroughs,” the New York City Sheriff’s Department posted to their X account. “The Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force sealed another illegal smoke shop today, seizing over 100 pounds of cannabis and other unregulated products.”
The seized products included a variety of marijuana strains such as Animal Gas, Gelato, Afghan Kush, and Blue Dream, according to photos posted on social media.
Edibles like Wonka Bar, Flav peach, and cherry cannabis-infused gummies were also seized, according to photos posted on social media.
Operation Padlock has sealed nearly 1,300 illegal cannabis shops, seizing over $86 million in illegal products, according to a city hall spokesperson.
The smoke shop was issued a cease and desist order, and the Sheriff’s Office immediately closed it and padlocked it.
Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.
