New York City deputy sheriffs have seized so much illegal marijuana that they are having a hard time finding a place to store it, writes the Daily News.
“We were seizing more than the space we had, so we started putting it in different offices,” Ingrid Simonovic, the president of the New York City Deputy Sheriff’s Association told the outlet.
What happened: In May, Mayor Eric Adams (D) launched “Operation Padlock to Protect,” a sustained multi-agency enforcement effort to shut down illegal smoke and cannabis shops across the Big Apple’s five boroughs. In just the first week of the operation, dozens of illegal smoke stores were closed.
See More: New York City Cops Seize Millions Of Dollars In Illegal Weed Products Under Mayor’s ‘Operation Padlock’; Cannabis Management Chief Resigns
Why it matters: Initially, the Sheriff’s Office stored the cannabis in six 20-foot shipping containers with inadequate ventilation at an indoor parking garage at the agency’s Long Island City offices. Soon they ran out of room.
“We’re seizing marijuana, but we have no idea where it’s coming from,” a former deputy sheriff who used to process cannabis and other evidence told the outlet. “To be frank, there’s something wrong with this marijuana. This isn’t the marijuana from the old days. It smells different. It’s very strong.”
Officers in charge of vouchering the evidence from cannabis seizures complained of being overwhelmed by the smell, and even feeling ill, union officials said.
“It was getting to the point that my clothes were smelling like marijuana,” the former employee said. “It smelled like I smoked weed all the time. My sweat is starting to smell like marijuana.”
In Dec. 2022, complaints on the improper storage of the seized cannabis were brought up, criticizing New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda. Complaints about poor ventilation and health issues were made to the Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau, which conducted an inspection, as per the court documents, writes the Daily News. The results of the inspection were not presented.
Union officials said that the deputy’s health issues such as “really strong headaches,” were documented in labor complaints.
Then, some of the seized marijuana, vapes and liquid nicotine were stored in a warehouse in Brooklyn, where workers also complained of the smell due to the poor ventilation.
According to the former deputy sheriff, they ended up putting seized cannabis in random offices, and later on in vehicles – unlocked marked and unmarked vehicles. “It was just being put everywhere.”
What’s next: A City Hall spokesperson that the Sheriff’s office and Task Force have “worked to standardize the process of vouchering and storing evidence and made important enhancements, including numerous security upgrades, installation of a new air ventilation system, and other facility improvements.”
She added that under Sheriff Miranda’s guidance, the Task Force shut down more than 400 illegal pot stores in a little over a month. “The Sheriff’s Office will continue to follow best practices on all of its operations as it works to protect working-class New Yorkers.”
Meanwhile, “Operation Padlock to Protect,” came under attack from 27 closed cannabis shops. Affected business owners are claiming the crackdown is unconstitutional and have taken their case to court via a class action suit.
H/T: www.benzinga.com
