On Thursday, prosecutors said they discovered nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana stacked in an apartment above a smoke shop in Bayside, Queens, a haul that investigators said could bring around $10 million on the streets. The finding spurred a multi-agency investigation, which officials say is still ongoing.
According to CBS News New York, authorities said the cannabis packets were found neatly placed in the unit above the storefront, with a street value of around $10 million.
The discovery comes in the midst of a citywide drive to close unauthorized tobacco shops, which intensified after Albany granted expanded New York City expanded enforcement powers. According to the mayor’s administration, Operation Padlock to Protect has already shut down hundreds of unlicensed businesses and removed substantial quantities of illegal products from the five boroughs.
Officials said the stockpile was stashed in a living room above the smoke shop, a method used in prior cases. The Queens District Attorney’s office has documented elaborate hiding methods, including false TVs and fake electrical panels, and DA Melinda Katz warned that “Unregulated cannabis stores sell products that pose a great danger to the surrounding community,” according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.
The city’s padlocking scheme has already faced legal challenges, notably a 2024 decision allowing a Bayside bodega to reopen. According to CBS News New York, defense attorneys believe such rulings could limit enforcement capabilities. CBS did not mention if arrests were made in the most recent Bayside seizure.
Investigators say the investigation is ongoing and further information will be provided as charges, if any, are made. According to City Hall and prosecutors, the bust demonstrates how large the underground market remains, despite officials’ efforts to restrict it with padlocks, inspections, and prosecutions.
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