NYC's latest crackdown on illegal weed shops is finally shutting them down

Thousands of illegal marijuana shops have flourished in New York under lax enforcement, but new rules are allowing officials to quickly padlock doors. The state legalized recreational use of the drug in 2021, but for several years law enforcement couldn’t close illegal pot shops without a protracted legal battle. Officials tried expanding inspection powers and sending letters to landlords, but most stores stayed open. The new rules passed earlier this year allow the sheriff’s department to keep stores padlocked in most cases during appeals. Licensed sellers say they’re seeing big sales increases as illegal shops close around them, but the estimated 2,000 illegal shops in New York City still dwarf the 150 legally opened statewide.