Queens gets a little less green as District Attorney Melinda Katz clamps down on illegal cannabis shops with an operation accurately dubbed Weed Whacker, according to a report by the Queens DA’s office. This crackdown, part of a larger effort that's already seen 335 shops padlocked since May 2024, led to the shuttering of four storefronts, seven arrests, and the confiscation of a sizable stash of contraband including 100 pounds of cannabis flower and 56 pounds of cannabis vapes that were being peddled, off the books, as per the Queens District Attorney's Office.
These busts aren't just about closing shops, but also about the safety concerns linked to unregulated cannabis sales, DA Katz highlighted the sale of products designed to look like brand-name candies, potentially luring in the youth; this move is equally about making space for legal businesses to flourish. Since November 2022, Katz's crusade has culminated in the prosecution of 457 individuals on felony-related charges connected with selling or possessing cannabis or other controlled substances in the area, in a sustained push that seems to show the DA’s tenacity to weed out the illegal pot business in Queens.
The recent surge in enforcements, covering five locations from November 24, 2025, to January 16, 2026, included searches and seizures at prominent areas like Love Story in Rosedale and Cloud Corner in Auburndale, leading to the confiscation of not just cannabis products but also 204 pounds of illegal flavored tobacco vapes. DA Katz’s office took to innovative means to hide their goods, utilizing secret compartments behind a faux TV and a fake electrical panel to conceal their stockpile, a shrewd move that ultimately didn't elude the eagle-eyed sleuths of the NYPD and the New York City Sheriff’s Office.
The success of this sting can be attributed to a concerted effort by multiple agencies, including the New York State Police, under the overarching command of figures like Senior Investigator Vincent Delango and Lieutenant Alexander Engram, these individuals, and their teams delved deep into Queens’ cannabis underbelly to route out these covert operations. The poignant role of Assistant District Attorney Attaul Haq, under the guidance of Bureau Chief Shanon LaCorte, stands testament to the effectiveness of the district's Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau; they, along with the determined exertions of the NYPD's 107th, 111th, and 116th precincts have illustrated what can be achieved with synergized law enforcement collaboration.
