Popular Bay Ridge Smoke Shop Has Been Shut Down

Journal

Feb 14

Written By Damian Nicholas

Big Chief a popular Bay Ridge smoke shop has been shut down after multiple violations.

Cannabis | Smoke Shop

Words by FP Team

CRYSTALWEED/UNSPLASH

State officials on December 18th shut down a well-known Bay Ridge smoke shop for ignoring violation warnings and operating without a license.

Big Chief Smoke Shop, an unlicensed cannabis dispensary located at the corner of 7th Street and Third Avenue, received a court order handed down by Attorney General Letitia James for selling cannabis and other paraphernalia without a legal license and ignoring the Office of Cannabis Management's (OMC) request to stop.

City and state officials are looking to penalize cannabis dispensary owners and property owners for allowing illegal activities. “Unlicensed cannabis stores selling unregulated products pose a health risk to New Yorkers and hurt the businesses that are following the rules,” Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. Further stating that “New Yorkers who buy and use cannabis shouldn’t have to worry about the quality and safety of the products they are purchasing, which is why all shops must be licensed and regulated.”

In August 2023, The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the OCM found that Big Chief was selling cannabis flowers, concentrates, vapes, and pre-rolled joints without state-issued licenses to sell. OCM inspectors confiscated 161 pounds of cannabis flower, 137 pounds of cannabis-infused product, 108 pounds of concentrated cannabis, and 60 pounds of cannabis pre-rolls– In addition to issuing a violation notice and posting warning notices for the public.

Two months after the first encounter, OCM inspectors returned to Big Cheif Smoke Shop to find the issued notices covered and that the store was still operating. They seized an additional 200 pounds of cannabis and issued another violation notice. These raids come after inspection by The NYPD and the sheriff's office in November of 2023, during which they seized an estimated $ 1 million worth of unregulated cannabis product and arrested two individuals associated with the business.

Residents have pleaded with the city to have the dispensary closed. In November 2022, heads of the local Community Board 10 penned a letter to the state leaders–to provide a clearer understanding of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, citing they left a loophole for unlicensed cannabis dispensaries to run with little to no penalties.

Attorney General Letitia James also signed a petition to close down Big Chief Smoke Shop and to prevent the owners from distributing, dispensing, and selling cannabis products in New York. The petition may also require store owners to pay back millions for violating New York Cannabis Law. The law holds a penalty of up to $10,000 for each day cannabis is sold without a license and a penalty of up to $20,000 for each day an individual continues to sell cannabis after receiving a cease and desist order from the OCM.