DC Cannabis Company Sues City Over Money Seized By Police Over A Year Ago

A D.C. cannabis company is suing the city after claiming that police officers seized more than $700,000 in cash during raids in 2021. The owners are now demanding their money back.

What Happened:

In August 2021, D.C. police raided Mr. Nice Guys DC, a popular Northwest cannabis business that “gifts” marijuana to customers with the purchase of another product. "Officers can be seen climbing stairs and smashing an ATM before seizing cash and merchandise and arresting multiple people in the process," reported News4 Washington.

Gregory Wimsatt, co-owner of Mr. Nice Guys, said it’s been exhausting to be engaged in what he called and uphill battle. “It’s been close to about $800,000 in product and cash. What we specifically asked for in this case was just the cash. That’s not including loss of damages to our products. We’ve had other situations where they’ve actually banned us from our location.”

Co-owner Damion West agreed, “Like, where is the justice? They come in, kick in our door, raid us, you know take our money,” he said.

The company’s attorneys recently filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, arguing that “D.C. police failed to return the seized money after investigations concluded and related criminal charges were withdrawn or dismissed.” The suit seeks $750,000 for damages and legal fees.

“Our goal is to have them produce the information associated with the chain of custody of that money and to just return it. That’s really it,” said Charles Walton, the company’s attorney.

According to the lawsuit, police seized more than “$67,000 and destroyed two ATMs at the shop while searching the Ninth Street location. An spokesperson for DC's Metropolitan Police Dept. (MPD) said three people were arrested at the store and charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The U.S. attorney’s office for the District of Columbia chose not to prosecute those who were arrested,” according to the Washington Post.

“Defendant District of Columbia’s D.C. police (MPD) routinely and unlawfully holds cash seized from individuals who have been arrested — many of whom are never charged with a crime — for months or even years past the point where the government might have any continuing legitimate interest in retaining said cash while providing no process to challenge that retention,” stated the lawsuit.

Citing the ongoing litigation, the MPD directed questions regarding the case to the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, which declined to comment. A spokesperson for DC Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who is also named in the lawsuit, did not respond to a request for comment either, according to the Washington Post.

D.C. Weed Gifting Inspections On Hold

Although adult-use cannabis has been legal in DC since 2014, the sale of cannabis remains technically illegal due to a congressional ban, which led businesses to practice "gifting" weed when purchasing another item or service.

Last month, D.C. officials postponed previously announced inspections of the District's cannabis stores. Inspections involved a Joint Cannabis Task Force from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration that had planned to start inspections following a 30-day grace period.

Recently, Terrence White, chairman of the I-71 Committee said that it is “abundantly clear District voters do not want D.C. Councilmembers to act and punish our stores,” adding that the “punishment will only cause more problems.”

Photo: Courtesy of Ramdlon, ganjaspliffstoreuk by Pixabay // Edited by Benzinga