ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) — Officials say $5 million worth of cannabis hidden away in a warehouse in Astoria is now in the possession of police.
According to New York City, more than 850 illegal marijuana shops have been padlocked since enforcement began back in April. Thanks to the NYPD and the New York City Sherriff’s Office, a Queens warehouse has now been added to that growing list.
They discovered hundreds of pounds of marijuana, worth $5 million on Thursday and they even found equipment that produced vape cartridges for sale.
Eyewitness News cameras were rolling as hundreds of pounds were seized at the warehouse facility on 2nd Street in Astoria.
Police tell Eyewitness News they became aware of the drugs when they were responding to a report of a robbery at the warehouse around 3 a.m. Thursday.
Officers arrested two suspects, 38-year-old James Pennisi from Pennsylvania and 36-year-old john Betancourt, who they said had 125 pounds of cannabis flower.
They realized the suspects were taking the product from the warehouse and reached out to the Sheriff’s office. Together, they moved in on the warehouse to make the bust.
“This is definitely one of the largest seizures that we’ve had. It’s not the largest but it is one of the largest seizures,” said Lt. Francesca Rosa with the NYC Sheriff’s Office. “So far, from our observations and inventory of the product, it’s over $5 million.”
The city’s main goal is to look for places that are supplying all of these shops.
On Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office shut down another illegal cannabis shop on the Upper West Side that they say used a trap door and a basement processing operation.
Authorities estimate there are still another 2,000 shops that are still operating illegally. They’re investigating whether the products seized at the Queens warehouse were destined for some of those illegal shops.
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