By Ed Hersh
A task force of investigators swooped onto the Upper West Side on Thursday to conduct surprise inspections of several of the proliferating smoke shops in the 20th and 24th precincts. Led by the New York City Sheriff’s Office, the task force included members of the NYPD and the New York State Office of Cannabis Management. City Council Member Gale Brewer “rode along.”
Over $200,000 worth of “unregulated THC vapes, edibles, untaxed cigarettes, and (illegal) flavored vapes” were seized and more than $16,000 in fines were issued to the offending stores, according to a posting on the Sheriff’s office Facebook page. Large bags of confiscated merchandise could be seen being taken from the stores.
The enforcement action has its roots in last month’s survey by Brewer’s office, which found at least 61 smoke shops had opened in her district and at least 26 were selling cannabis and/or illegal tobacco products. NYC Sheriff Anthony Miranda — whose office has taken the lead on smoke-shop enforcement — requested the list and promised to invite Brewer to observe the inspections when they occurred. Also present were several members of her staff and of the City Council Committee on Oversight and Investigation, which Brewer chairs.
The sweeps use civil not criminal laws to seize merchandise that is deemed to be in violation of state tax regulations on cigarette and marijuana sales, along with city laws about selling flavored vapes. Although marijuana is now legal to possess, there is currently only ONE legal dispensary operating in the city, opened just before the new year by Housing Works downtown; any other store selling cannabis products is doing so illegally.
Brewer’s spokesperson told us that of five shops visited, the bulk of merchandise was seized at the Zaza Waza Smoke Shop on Columbus Avenue between 86th and 87th Streets (which is diagonally across the street from Brewer’s office), and a store called Vape Dispensary on Broadway at 90th Street.
NY1 was given advance word of the sweep and their report is here.
Bravo!!! Thank you NYPD. These stores are are illegal narcotics distributors and cannot operate in brazen ignorance of the law.
I’d substitute “defiance” for “ignorance”. They were breaking the law knowingly. This is the very predictable consequence.
Really? You think the operators of these businesses were ignorant of the fact that they were doing something illegal?
Hurrah!!!! Go after more and more!
With violent crime soaring this is what law enforcement focuses on? This may be a priority for Gail Brewer but it’s not for me.
To solve all these problems, you need a tax base. These stores are skirting sales tax. And robbing NYC taxpayers
Can’t make everyone happy. Wah-wohhhhh. Don’t you think this is a good place to start? It certainly isn’t going to hurt the situation.
Except there have been shootings at these shops.
Shootings? I recall hearing of one. Have there been others?
Thank you for doing this!
A step towards normalcy.
Shut them all down. Noone needs any of this in the neighborhood – or anywhere.
They are coming whether you like them or not. The city will be taxing the dealers heavily.
Yes yes yes!!! Gail Brewer take them all down they’re so many going up too 110th. A huge one matter of fact… On the North side of the street. And I believe there’s a little hidden gem on the south side near the Td bank… Right around the corner I was told this by my own son….. The kids from Columbia it’s like a field day for them… ? So the cannabis that’s being sold in the shop they’re not licensed to sell all that. So why are all of them still open and here if it’s illegal…..
There is also the risk that illicit canabis products are adulterated, for example with fentanyl.
They could be adulterated with K2. Anything. Oregano—lol—and stuff much more insidious than marijuana. People are risking their health. I know this won’t be published, but I’m asking: Why don’t people just grow their own? It’s a weed. Isn’t it?
This is concern adulterated with fear mongering. There are no credible evidence that marijuana is being laced with fentanyl. Pesticides, heavy metals, other contaminants, sure – a legitimate concern and a good reason for licensing and regulation.
Go to the first legal dispensary in New York people need to get the word out more … But the youth will not listen….
Hi George. I thought that — fentanyl lacing — seemed inevitable. Someone asserted the opposite. In either case the UWS, especially around 72nd Street, is a real drug-dealing hub with attendant problem s. We don’t need more of the same.
And about the vans, which I’m sure are not licensed?
Please get rid of the vans! Traffic Broadway approaching 96th is a nightmare due to the double parking and the clientele who hang out around them.
Only 2…? Smoke and Mirrors. There are at least 3 shops a 2min walk away from the 20th Pct. One that opened on Friday. I’ll give praise when the real crack down happens. But I guess its a good start.
Theses smoke and pot stores are going to make crime soar.
Thank you.
Can they ever focus on a real problem???? Violence, mental health, subway crime….nope let’s focus on busting people selling a legal product without a license….do you people actually think pot wasn’t in the neighborhood before these shops???? What a joke!
Huh so many people that I didn’t imagine would be smoking I see it in the street now every day… I’m just amazed now I’m talking everybody from the dog walker to the stay at home mom to the couples in the park or even in the Hudson… So everybody like I said did I mention the couples going out to a nice restaurant or etc,etc.
They were doing it before this, just inside their homes since it was illegal and they risked an arrest or court appearance. Wake up people. This is not the cause of the spike in crazy or violence, the lack of respect for our court system and bail reform is to blame….hence my original point.
You need a license to sell to ensure that the product is regulated, taxed, and not marketed or sold to children. This is a very reasonable requirement; tobacco retailers also must be licensed by city and state. If we’re going to have legal pot (which I have no problem with), we need to make it safe, too.
(Also, these particular, unlicensed, shady stores attract crime in themselves…)
So NYS needs to get moving on licensing these places to make them legal. It’s been legal to possess and use pot for a year and still can’t buy it legally anywhere….that the problem.
First store opened in Astor Place last week! Most of these particular places won’t apply for licenses and aren’t interested in complying with regulations. I agree the delay in getting the license system set up was a cock-up, but now you have your option and hopefully more will follow quickly.
Amen
The situation now is MUCH safer than it was before. Let’s not go back which is what this is.
New York City and State must close these unlicensed places so that people who choose to buy and use cannabis, cigarettes, etc. know that what they are buying has been tested and does not contain heavy metals, pesticides, and other contaminants.
Speaking of toxic chemicals, I wish people would stop smoking regular cigarettes all over the place. Smoke pot, go home and go to sleep. Just don’t smoke regular cigarettes. What in the world do they do that “helps” you live your life?! (And pick up your roaches—you’re hurting the dogs). GIGA
Which would be great IF the state actually licensed places.
Great job and thank you! Plus, I have to wonder exactly how these shops with “small ticket merchandise” can afford UWS rent that restaurants, with more expensive product between food and drink and more traffic, can barely hang on… the math just isn’t there for me. Something has to be fishy – or skunky – with these shops!
How about getting licensure and regulations up and running first? We don’t need 61 smoke shops. But 2 or 3 well-regulated would be fine. Seriously, don’t decriminalize it and then fail to provide a safe and practical path to selling it.
EXACTLY. But our legislators needed votes and sound bytes and rapidly legalized it without any protections or thoughts to roll it out responsibly. There are “weed trucks” on our streets and no one is talking about them or how kids are going up to them and making purchases. None of this was happening before they legalized marijuana before a plan was in place.
How can people not see through these state officials? They only care for what will give them votes immediately. It can’t be more obvious here.
It’s a legal substance with only one place in the whole city to buy it legally. Leave these people alone. They’re not hurting anyone.
They’re hurting a lot of people by hurting the city’s tax revenue. New York only legalized marijuana to try and shore up some tax flow that was badly damaged by all the wealthy people that left during the pandemic
Exactly. The legal shop near Astor Place has astronomical prices. It’s ridiculous.
Of course some, make that many, of us would ask just why there are all these extra requirements, licenses, and, for that matter, an entire taxpayer supported law enforcement agency, dedicated to marijuana regulation.
But that’s just us folk who foolishly believe in free enterprise and, well, freedom..
I guess that means we should dispense with liquor licenses too, right? Another taxpayer supported regulatory agency.
Eyup, getting rid of the SLA (no, not the Patty Hearst one…) should be a no brainer.
Great. But why do the guys selling out of vans go untouched?
The smoke shops really don’t bother me, but I can understand the problem of state losing taxes. Jumpcut – I really wish Gail Brewer would put half the attention to the electric bikes that are running crazy and breaking the law all day long on the upper west side.
Not to mention the ones riding on sidewalks.
$16k in fines is letting them off easy.
what is landlords role in all these smoke shops?
This was NOT NYPD The law was written to make these civil not criminal and then only violations enforceable by the Sheriff not NYPD Therefore these fines will not put a dent in their biz. All states that have made pot legal have had their money expectations fall 90+ short of expected tax incoming In Cal the legal industry is suing the state to get them massively crack down on the illegal mrt. Wash Post had another front-page article on this last week.
I would like to see the Sheriff Department play a more active role in enforcing violations whether civil or criminal. They seem to take their jobs more seriously, are eager to flex their muscles, and have seizure capabilities. I imagine they would put a big dent in the illegal motorbike rides that terrorize our neighborhood. A couple of deputies on horseback would round out the picture quite well.
All those cops should be pulling over the speeders with fake license plates. That would help a lot more.
These are not NYPD officers. They are officers from the Sheriff’s Office.
They can’t open fast enough. We now have 4 between W 92 and W 95.
Not to mention the Vans who so blatantly set up shop.
If UWSers continue to allow this to happen we’ll soon be looking like San Francisco and Portland.
Amazingly those who vote for such legislation fail to look at the results of their decisions.
Here’s a list of more pressing issues in the neighborhood:
Violent crime
Homelessness/Mental Illness
Scooter & Ebike safety
Dog excrement
Rats
Shoplifting
Empty Store fronts
Scaffolding
Garbage
Real drug dealing
Parking/Traffic issues
And so on…I’m sure many of you would like to add to this list.
This neighborhood does not need 61 smoke shops.
unbelievable yeah let’s bust the smoke shops but not do anything about bail reform the biggest danger to the people.I can’t recall last time a person high on Marijuana did anything dangerous except over eat.Lets get the real problems solved before this petty stuff
[…] full stop,” said a representative from City Council Member Gale Brewer’s office. A recent sweep of smoke shops on the UWS confiscated more than $200,000 of unregulated THC, cigarettes and vaping […]
[…] full stop,” said a representative from City Council Member Gale Brewer’s office. A recent sweep of smoke shops on the UWS confiscated more than $200,000 of unregulated THC, cigarettes and vaping […]