Why Did NYC Sheriffs Tow 12 Weed Vending Trucks? A Half Million Bucks In Parking Tickets, Here's What Happened In The Big Apple

Parking tickets: the bane of every New York City driver's existence. But, still, there are daring scofflaws who could care less about the ubiquitous white papers stuck under their windshield wipers…that is until the yellow NYC wheel boot gets clamped onto their vehicle’s front tire.

When tow trucks show up, no amount of begging can stop them.

That’s what happened to a dozen Weed World Candies trucks peddling edibles in and around Times Square.

Why? How about a half-million bucks in unpaid parking tickets?

Some of the trucks were licensed to sell cannabis products while others were used for promotional purposes, according to Weed World owner Bilal Muhammad.

Weed World’s current amount of parking ticket debt in judgment came to  $316,000, but the total outstanding parking debt is $504,000, the sheriff’s office said. 

Another Mortal Sin In The Big Apple - Illegal Parking 

Though some trucks were seized due to the debt, others were illegally parked – an egregious offense in a city where a good parking spot is coveted almost as much as a reasonably priced apartment.  

Muhammad told the NY Post that the debt had grown over a period of years, a year before the pandemic. He blamed (and fired) four contractors who'd leased the vehicles. 

Muhammad, stuck with the fines and hefty late fees, is attempting to reach a settlement with the city. 

Mayor Eric Adams, who recently told his 8 million constituents to feel free to light up as he won’t be clamping down on weed consumption, took a different tone toward Weed World Trucks. 

“Rules are put in place and we have to figure out how to monitor, police and govern based on those rules,” Adams said on NY1, a local cable news network. “What we are going to do is send a clear message that you can’t go outside the rules that are in place.”

Though first deputy sheriff Maureen Kokeas told WNBC the truck seizures had “absolutely nothing to do with marijuana” her boss had a different response.

“Well, illegal sales, we’re not going to allow that,” Mayor Adams said. “And this truck, how they were going about doing it we’re still examining, but clearly we’re not going to allow illegal sales. These trucks may be failing right below the line, and we just have to continue to monitor, but it is a problem.”

Photo montage via Shutterstock: Nomad Soul (police) and Jan Van Dasler (weed truck).