Hoodline reports
The crackdown on illegal cannabis shops in Washington, DC continues, with the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), shutting down two more unlicensed vendors. According to a press release from the MPD, Dreams Smoke Shop and In the Cut were padlocked on Thursday, bringing the total number of illegal establishments closed by authorities to eight since a recent bill granted new enforcement powers.
Ordered by the ABC Board to cease operations after ignoring previous Cease and Desist Orders, both businesses were deemed a “credible and imminent danger to public health and safety,” which led to the doors being padlocked, according to MPD. In the process of the closure, illegal products were observed in plain sight by undercover MPD officers and Investigators from the Violent Crime Suppression Division. These findings prompted the execution of a search warrant at both locations, leading to the seizure of various illegal substances.
At Dreams Smoke Shop, located at 2335 18th Street NW, enforcement units recovered paraphernalia that included 3.6 pounds of marijuana and significant quantities of THC-laced edibles and THC vape cartridges, along with entheogenic plants such as mushrooms. In contrast, In the Cut at 1460 Park Road NW was found to be housing 4.4 pounds of marijuana, smaller amounts of THC edibles and liquid THC, and mushrooms. A Glock 42 handgun and ammunition was also found at In the Cut, resulting in the arrest of 50-year-old Rodney Marshall. He’s been charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute while Armed, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Contempt of Court, as noted in the MPD’s statement.
Furthermore, an earlier action last Tuesday saw the summary closure and the suspension of the alcohol license of Power Night Club at 2335 Bladensburg Road NE. This action by the ABC Board followed a 96-hour closure mandated by MPD Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith due to officers recovering a sizable stash of cannabis, various forms of THC concentration, and firearms. Owners have the option to request a hearing before the ABC Board and may need to submit a remediation plan to prevent future illegal cannabis sales as a condition for the return of their property access.
Read more at https://hoodline.com/2024/10/washington-dc-authorities-close-two-illegal-cannabis-shops-seize-drugs-and-firearms/
