NYC Cops Raid Two Bronx Cannabis Operations, One Was Like 'The Cesar's Palace Of Illegal Marijuana'

The facilities, reportedly functioning as fronts for the distribution of cannabis other substances were shut down early Wednesday in what officials describe as one of the largest busts seen by New York Police Dept. (NYPD) and Sheriff’s Office recently.

The raid comes as part of city-wide clean-up operation, known as Operation Padlock, which has been underway since May of this year.

It is believed that the total illicit cannabis selling shops functioning in NYC amounts to 3600. On ABC7’s Eyewitness, NYPD chief of patrol John Chell said “we’ve shut down 18 percent of those stores in six weeks.”

Authorities raided a location on East Tremont Avenue where the NYPD uncovered 176 pounds of cannabis flower, 0.6 pounds of THC vape products and psilocybin mushroom edibles. The cannabis flower was hidden in various places including in compartments under a couch, covered by ceiling tiles, in filing cabinets, in luggage bags and some in plain view.

Chell said that the bust came after the police responded to a community complaint about a deli that ended up being a cover for an illegal drug distribution center.

Read Also: NYC Mayor Adams On The Weed Warpath: $6M In Fines, 75 Closures, 4000 Illicit Shop Violations In First Week Of ‘Operation Padlock To Protect’

“Behind the back door it was like the Cesar’s palace of illegal marijuana, vapes, psychedelic mushrooms…”

“These are all mushroom bars, cereal milk, white chocolate, birthday cake, different flavors,” explained Lt. Francesca Rosa from the NYC Sheriff’s Office. “All of these products are unregulated, unlicensed, this location is unlicensed, they should not have any of this product here.”

Just blocks away, another establishment on East Tremont Avenue was allegedly functioning as a front for illicit cannabis storage and distribution.

Two workers were arrested during the raid.

While NYC authorities are moving aggressively to close down unlicensed cannabis shops, the legal cannabis market has been limping along at a disappointedly slow rhythm. As a result, the gap between issued licenses and operational dispensaries continues to widen.

Out of 1,117 licenses issued by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), only about 141 dispensaries are operational. This is due mainly to bureaucratic and legal struggles. Additionally, the state’s social equity licenses, meant to support those affected by past drug laws and impacted communities, lack sufficient funding and logistical support.

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