Illegal Weed Shop On Upper East Side Block Shut Down By Sheriff's Office

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — High Supply, an Upper East Side smoke shop, has been shut down after authorities said it illegally sold unlicensed pot products.

The padlocking, anticipated by neighbors since the shop's initial raid by police officers earlier this year, is a component of the NYPD's ongoing efforts to curb unauthorized smoke and cannabis outlets throughout the city's five boroughs.

High Supply, situated on York Ave., close to East 87th Street, was among the targets of an initial raid conducted by the New York City Sheriff's Office back in March.

Following the operation, the shop's owner was arrested and charged with criminal possession of cannabis.

"We previously asked the Sherriff to raid High Supply due to complaints our office received, which included targeting minors with the sale of illegal products," Council Member Julie Menin — who has previously joined the Sheriff's office for prior raids, — told Patch.

Menin previously said at the shop, police had found "illegal cannabis being marketed in misleading candy and snack-like packaging, which can lead to school-aged children unknowingly consuming marijuana products."

"Unfortunately, certain stores kept reopening; so I advocated strongly along with several of my colleagues to the Governor and State Legislature to grant New York City the authority to padlock unlicensed smoke and cannabis shops," Menin added.

The organized shutdown was part of Operation Padlock to Protect, a sustained multi-agency enforcement action to shut down illegal smoke and cannabis shops across the five boroughs, which began in early May.

"With this new authority, the closure of High Supply is precisely the outcome we wanted," Menin told Patch.

Since the initiative's enforcement, the New York City Sheriff’s Joint Compliance Task Force, comprising members from the Sheriff’s Office, the NYPD and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), has sealed more than 75 locations and imposed fines totaling over $6 million.

"Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul and our partners in the state Legislature, New York City is now using the full force of the law across every borough to padlock and protect our streets," Mayor Eric Adams said. "Legal cannabis remains the right choice for our city, but to those who choose to break the law — we will shut you down."

Last month, NYPD officials also organized the shut down of Best Budz, located on East 86th Street between Second and Third Avenue.

"As New York continues to take steps in the right direction to create a legal cannabis industry, I remain committed to passing legislation requiring the City to create a public awareness campaign regarding the dangers of purchasing cannabis products from unlicensed retailers. The dangers of products coming from unlicensed cannabis retailers cannot be overstated," Menin said.