New York City Mayor Eric Adams ordered the city’s police to shut down 20 stores on Tuesday, the first day of new efforts to dismantle illicit cannabis operations in the Big Apple.

"The illegal shops … have become a magnet for crime, they have become a magnet for quality of life issues that we have faced in this city (…) Our message is clear: We want to close them down," said Adams in a press conference that included a live demonstration of a raid on a Lower Manhattan shop. "We have a lock with your name on it," he warned the hundreds of offending shop owners throughout New York City’s five boroughs.

Sheriff Anthony Miranda, overseeing the raid via a live feed with intermittent connectivity issues, targeted the New City Smoke Shop on Church St., just steps away from City Hall. According to Miranda, the store was found selling unlicensed cannabis, cigarettes and even mushrooms with packaging designed to appeal to younger demographics. “They are violating every statute under the new laws and protections we have,” Miranda stated.

More Power To Law Enforcement

The authority to clamp down on these illegal operations was granted in the fiscal year 2025 state budget approved in April, enhancing local law enforcement’s capabilities. Notably, the budget allows the sheriff’s office and NY police department (NYPD) to close unlicensed cannabis stores for up to a year. However, Mayor Adams clarified that the NYPD would need to be deputized by the sheriff’s office to conduct such raids.

The mayor’s remarks come after previously stating his plan to shut all of the city’s unlicensed cannabis outlets within 30 days, should the authority be granted. “On the 31st day, don't expect all unlicensed shops to be gone,” he publicly retracted, stressing the need for continual enforcement efforts. 

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Struggle Against Unlicensed Cannabis Sales Intensifies

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Photo courtesy of OCM