Is "Operation Padlock" against the rules? Yes, according to a Queens judge. October 30, 2024.
© Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal and USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK + © Tyler Orsburn/News Herald / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Queens, NY) – According to a judge in Queens, New York City failed to follow the law when shutting down numerous illegal pot shops this year. A law that led to the so-called “Operation Padlock” has been deemed unconstitutional. The city’s administrative code had been amended in order to more easily shut down marijuana shops that did not have a license.
Thousands of these locations have been shuttered since the rule change. Residents and licensed cannabis shops alike had complained after numerous unlicensed operators popped up, in response to the state’s legalized recreational cannabis program.
The judge rules shop owners’ due process rights were violated. During “Operation Padlock,” sheriff department employees and cops closed down the stores in question. Now, a statement from the attorney representing the shop owners says they can reopen immediately as a result of the judge’s decision. Owners may also be able to sue for damages.
Meanwhile, the city says it will appeal the decision.
