Illegal UES Pot Shops Raids Net $150K In Fines, Arrests: Officials

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Illegal smoke shops on the Upper East Side are getting raided by the Sheriff — and a so-called deputised local elected official.

At least two people have been arrested and nearly $160,000 in fines have been issued following raids by the NYC Sheriff's Office, according to the department.

City Council Member Julie Menin helped inspect two illegal Lenox Hill smoke shops on Jan 17 that were both just steps from nearby schools after receiving complaints from parents that they were selling the illegal product to their children, posting photos of the raid to social media days later.

"I will continue to successfully crack down on smoke shops violating our laws. Our City Council is ensuring that bad actors including landlords who knowingly violate our laws face consequences for their actions," said Menin in a statement to Patch.

One of those shops, Tobacco N Vape Inc at 1171 2nd Ave, between East 61st and East 62nd streets, resulted in the store owner being charged with the unlawful sale of cannabis.

Just around the corner at Queen Cannabis NYC, at 304 East 62nd Street between First and Second avenues, the store owners were arrested and charged with criminal possession of cannabis in the third degree.

Those inspections were part of a larger operation targeting illegal smoke shops in the neighborhood, the Sheriff's office said.

That operation has so far resulted in two arrests, five summonses, seven notice of violations with 26 violations and 123 counts of violations, their office said.

Additionally, around $158,000 in penalties have been charges against the illegal stores.

A sizable amount of contraband was also confiscated, including nearly 16 cartons of cigarettes, 114 packages of additional tobacco products, 2,628 flavored vape products, 498 marijuana THC vapes, 515 packages of cannabis flower weighing around eight pounds, 570 pre-rolled marijuana joints and 320 packages of THC edibles weighing nearly 40 pounds.

Menin notes that during her time as Commissioner of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protections — an agency she now oversees — she successfully implemented a public awareness campaign around the dangers of synthetic marijuana, known as K2, and will endeavor to do the same for illegal weed stores.

"I will work with my Council colleagues to pass legislation that requires the City to create a public awareness campaign on the dangers of purchasing cannabis products from unlicensed retailers," Menin said.