Full Press Release:
LOS ANGELES – City Attorney Mike Feuer today announced that his office, in coordination with the Los Angeles Police Department, has filed 37 criminal cases against 149 defendants associated with 33 commercial locations across the city, and two delivery services, for unlicensed commercial cannabis activity.
“Businesses that flout the City’s new cannabis law will be held accountable,” said Feuer. “I urge all property owners and marijuana businesses to follow the law and work with my office and the City’s Department of Cannabis Regulation to avoid facing serious criminal consequences.”
“The LAPD is committed to ensuring that all facilities engaging in the commercial sale of marijuana comply with the law and we will be diligent in our effort to maintain safe and healthy communities,” said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.
Effective January 2018, all businesses conducting commercial cannabis activity in the City of Los Angeles are required to be licensed by both the State of California and the City of Los Angeles. The new regulations follow the passage in recent years of state laws allowing recreational cannabis use and cannabis sales in the State of California. Under newly adopted city guidelines, commercial cannabis activity is prohibited in certain designated zones or near sensitive sites including schools. Medical marijuana collectives or cooperatives are also prohibited unless in a dwelling unit with three or fewer members. All cannabis and cannabis products may not be visible from the exterior of any building or vehicle used to engage in commercial cannabis activity.
Initial defendants allegedly engaged in unlicensed commercial cannabis activity and charged with crimes by the City Attorney were prioritized by LAPD based on additional criminal activity identified at the locations.
Locations associated with the filings include:
4874 S. Huntington Drive in El Sereno
12777 San Fernando Road in Sylmar
945 W. Pacific Coast Highway in Wilmington
841 Gardena Blvd in Gardena
12737 Glen Oaks Drive in Sylmar
16400 S. Vermont Avenue in Harbor Gateway
10530 S. Broadway in South Los Angeles
1151 Pacific Coast Highway in Harbor City
2601 S. Normandie in Koreatown
21044 Sherman Way #219 in Canoga Park
15238 Saticoy in Van Nuys
11422 S. Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles
8717 Woodman Avenue in Panorama City
14626 Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys
521 S. Alvarado Street near MacArthur Park
930 S. Robertson in Pico-Robertson
10924 S. Main Street in South Los Angeles
10352 Laurel Canyon Blvd in Pacoima
9362 San Fernando Road in Foothill
5611 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood
5943 York Blvd in Northeast
Dank of Cali, Inc. a Marijuana Delivery Service
15201 Oxnard Street in Van Nuys
1815 W. Jefferson in Jefferson Park
4271 Crenshaw Blvd in Leimert Park
3014 W. Slauson Avenue in South Los Angeles
10958 S. Main Street in South Los Angeles
6515 S. Vermont Avenue in South Los Angeles
9820 San Fernando Road in Pacoima
11880 S. Main Street in South Los Angeles
2214 S. Vermont Avenue in West Adams
2315 S. Vermont Avenue in West Adams
3206 W. Vernon in Southwest
All defendants face misdemeanor charges for violations of the Los Angeles Municipal Code regarding unlicensed commercial cannabis activity punishable up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines.
Feuer will continue to work closely with the LAPD and the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation to identify and prosecute locations believed to be operating without a license. In addition to prosecutions, the City Attorney’s Office will send cease and desist letters to those cannabis businesses that have been identified by Neighborhood Prosecutors and law enforcement to be operating without the required Temporary Approval by the City.
Additional information on cannabis regulations, including how to get licensed and submitting a complaint about unlicensed commercial cannabis activity can be found at the City of Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation website: http://cannabis.lacity.org
