New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda appeared on "Mornings On 1" Tuesday to discuss the continued efforts to shut down the illegal cannabis market in the city.
For nearly a year, both city and state governments have been actively seeking effective ways to crackdown on unlicensed shops selling marijuana across the city. Earlier this year, a new approach was implemented, targeting landlords and building owners who rent commercial space to these illegal shops. The initiative resulted in notices being sent to over 50 locations, leading to over $7 million in penalties and the seizure of nearly $4 million worth of illegal products.
Miranda provided even more insight, saying, “We have been able to inspect 53% of those locations to date. For a one-year operation, 53 of those locations identified have had some type of law enforcement activity already in them.”
When asked about the perceived lack of impact from state and city enforcement, Miranda acknowledged the work in progress, stating, "It's something that we need to adjust according to what the bad actors do." He highlighted the importance of a “holistic approach” that would hold “bad actors” accountable while still helping to build a legal market.
Addressing concerns about the recurrence of illegal shops, Miranda explained, "The judges are the ones who make a decision on when closing happens. We provide the details to the court system to be able to take the court action that's necessary."
Miranda provided an update on the ongoing investigations, stating, "We're over 2000 locations identified for investigation."
Miranda also urged New Yorkers to utilize the 311 system, contact the police department, elected officials or the sheriff's office directly if they witness a shop selling cannabis illegally in their neighborhoods.