WASHINGTON — The District is continuing its effort to crack down on unlicensed marijuana shops operating in the city. The D.C. Council provided the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration with more power to target these shops in July.
Since then, ABCA has issued hundreds of warnings and dozens of cease-and-desist orders to shops deemed to be operating illegally. Another establishment was shut down Wednesday. “The Green Room,” along the U Street Corridor is now the fifth shop raided and closed in September.
"They know they're operating in violation of the law. They've been given several warnings to shut down. So, you never know what you're going to confront in that situation,” said MPD Assistant Chief Jeffery Carroll.
When trying to explain why any business would repeatedly defy these orders the ABCA Director Fred Moosally said, "There's a lot of money to be had in selling cannabis illegally.”
ABCA has identified more than 120 shops operating illegally in the District.
During undercover operations, agents have found psychedelic mushrooms, opium, excessive amounts of marijuana, some THC products laced with amphetamines and other illegal substances.
The District’s first licensed, legal testing lab opened in July.
"We actually have a licensed legal testing lab that's operational where the product can be tested, where in these unlicensed illegal stores, you have product that hasn't been tested,” said Moosally.
For years, many weed shops have sold t-shirts or stickers, with marijuana given as a gift, so they can get around the city's hazy marijuana laws.
"We had undercover buys where cannabis was sold and not gifted, which is illegal,” Moosally said.
Moosally said "The Green Room,” didn’t seem interested in operating legally, even after a neighboring weed shop was raided.
“Supreme Terpene” was the first shop issued a Closure Order during this wave of crackdowns. “The Green Room,” is only a few doors down from “Supreme Terpene.”
In some cases, arrests have been made.
Moosally said, ABCA is trying to get more licensed retailers open.
Currently 11 are operating and more than a dozen will be opening soon, with safe and tested products.
So far ABCA says 26 illegal weed shops have been ordered to shut down.
WUSA9 has reached out to the owner and operator of "The Green Room,” for comment, but we haven't heard back.