LONG ISLAND, NY — More than half of businesses — 26 out of 44 — targeted in a recent crackdown across Suffolk County were found illegally selling items either labeled or packaged as a cannabis product, County Executive Ed Romaine announced Tuesday.
Five businesses were closed by the towns due to multiple violations, and eight people were arrested on various charges including seven people for unlicensed sale of cannabis, according to his office.
The department also seized more than 15,000 flavored vape products and more than 15,000 THC products, his office said.
The operation ran between May 20 and May 21.
At a news conference at police headquarters in Yaphank, Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said some of the businesses targeted included Simply Green in Coram, Vape Guru in Bay Shore, Cloud 9V in Farmingville, and Norm’s in Patchogue.
He also announced the arrest of a Mastic man in connection with selling marijuana gummies that sickened a group of high school students in Moriches back in March.
The crackdown targeted illegal marijuana sales during which businesses “are taking advantage of selling with impunity, he said.
“The cannabis is always unregulated and often sold to juveniles, creating a dangerous situation. We will continue to work with our partners and target problem locations and ones that are a source of community complaints,” he added.
Romaine said cannabis shops “create an unsafe environment for our residents, and especially our children.”
“Thank you to all our law enforcement personnel and partners in government that have come together to send the message that is ‘you break the law, you will be shut down,'” he added.
Sheriff Errol Toulon said his office provided several staff to ensure that the operation was successful, and the joint effort led to thousands of seizures.
“This is just isn’t about legality; it’s more about safety,” he said. Products sold outside of regulated channels can be dangerous and untested.”
