Major Marijuana Operation in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn Busted by New York Sheriffs; 2 Arrested

SHEEPSHEAD BAY, Brooklyn (WABC) — Two people have been arrested, and more arrests are possible, after authorities busted a major marijuana operation in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, suspected of manufacturing and distributing products to thousands of illegal marijuana stores around New York City.

Behind the unmarked doors of a small store was what New York Sheriff Anthony Miranda described as a $1 million illegal marijuana operation that included packaging marijuana and edible candy, as well as using chemical flavorings among other potential toxins mixed with concentrated THC.

“Everything we say presents a certain danger to children and to the health of people who want to legally participate in the market that is located there,” Miranda said.

The sheriff's task force, which now has the power to lock down illegal cannabis stores after inspections, collects a mountain of evidence, including 50 pounds of raw cannabis.

Police arrested two people and found packaging materials such as fake labels claiming the product came from California.

“The false labeling, the false packaging, those will be additional criminal charges that they will face, now it goes from a civil enforcement to a criminal investigation,” Miranda said.

It's the city's first illegal cannabis distribution site raided by the task force, which also has a sophisticated printing press that produces all sorts of colorful labels for edibles.

“It violates every rule you can think of that has been set by the State Cannabis Management Board,” Miranda said.

Including the one that says cannabis products cannot have labels that appeal to children.

All this was happening under the noses of the neighbors of this residential block on Avenue T.

Residents told Eyewitness News reporter Sonia Rincon that the storefront had an awning that read “Pushing P on T,” but that disappeared a few months ago.

“It closed. I don't know what they do after that,” neighbor Chris Wong said.

Another neighbor suspects that this wholesale operation grew after the store closed.

Sheriff Miranda says the closure of this location will likely impact other illegal pot shops in the area that purchase the items packaged here — shops that have been shut down one by one because of complaints.

“Community complaints are extremely important,” Miranda said. “They are the first people to see that these establishments are opening and operating illegally.”

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