Detectives at the scene of a fatal shooting at The Plug Smoke Shop at 109-27 Jamaica Avenue.
The smoke shop in Richmond Hill where a 20-year-old employee was shot and killed during an armed robbery in March was shut down twice in one month, the office of Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. announced Friday, June 30.
The Plug Smoke Shop, located at 109-27 Jamaica Ave., was closed through an issued court order given on Wednesday, June 7, thanks to the combined effort from Addabbo and the NYPD 102nd Precinct, his office revealed. The shop was allegedly found illegally selling cannabis and marijuana-related products.
After attending a Richmond Hill Block Association meeting on Wednesday, June 28, Addabbo said he learned the smoke shop was operating again despite the court order. He said once again, with the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct, the shop’s shutters were closed for good and the owner was arrested. A police spokesperson could not immediately provide details of the arrest to QNS.
“These illegal pot sellers have no business in our community, and it takes a team effort to address this pervasive problem,” Addabbo said. “The Plug Smoke Shop was not only operating illegally, but a fatal shooting also took place there this year. It needed to go, and now thanks to our diligent efforts, hopefully, it’s gone for good. I remain diligent and optimistic that with the credible efforts of the NYPD and community residents, other illegal pot shops can experience the same fate and be closed forever.”
Addabbo says he’s staying on top of the scourge of illegal pot shops in the district with a dedicated team member specializing in addressing this issue, but he’s also facing concerns over a proposed legal dispensary in Middle Village.
The Cannabis Place, currently operating as a fully licensed cannabis delivery service for Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk Counties, plans to open its dispensary on 74-03 Metropolitan Avenue, in Middle Village.
The…
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