NYS Cannabis Enforcement Task Force closes shops in Alfred, Horseheads, Watkins Glen

A handful of illegal cannabis shops in the Southern Tier have seen their doors closed and their operations halted thanks to accelerated efforts to shut down the underground marijuana marketplace in the Empire State.

Since Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation expanding cannabis enforcement powers earlier this year, more than 1,000 illegal operations have been closed, including nearly 800 in New York City and another 230 upstate, the governor's office said.

The New York State Cannabis Enforcement Task Force reported that illegal cannabis shops in Alfred, Watkins Glen and Horseheads were among the stores shuttered during the latest enforcement period.

Closed down in the Southern Tier were:

• Jimmy's Cigar & Smoke Shop, 6292 state Route 21, Alfred
• Raceway Convenience LLC, North Franklin Street, Watkins Glen
• Bush's Buds, 125 W. Franklin St., Horseheads
• Best Buds, 117 S. Main St., Horseheads

Cannabis Task Force seizes 6,000 pounds, $22 million worth of cannabis

In April, Hochul unveiled in new initiatives to shut down illicit cannabis operations and protect the legal marketplace.

Then on May 21, the governor launched the task force. Led by the New York State Police first deputy superintendent, the task force is a statewide effort to coordinate staff from several agencies to combat the illicit cannabis market.

State officials said as a result of the store closures, more than 6,000 pounds of illicit product valued at $22 million was seized, bringing the statewide total seized since May 2023 to over 25,000 pounds of illicit product valued at over $110 million.

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Legal cannabis sales are up 72% in New York City in the 10 weeks since enforcement actions began, with retailers collectively reporting $2.6 million in weekly revenue growth over that period, the Office of Cannabis Management said.

To date, OCM has opened 152 legal dispensaries throughout the state, and this year alone, New York has issued 730 additional adult-use licenses.

Customers can view the list of licensed dispensaries selling cannabis products grown by New York farmers and tested, packaged, and labeled in accordance with New York state’s regulated system.

Email Neal Simon at nsimon@gannett.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today .

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: NYS Cannabis Enforcement Task Force closes shops in Alfred, Horseheads, Watkins Glen