District regulators and police shut down another unlicensed cannabis operation this week, continuing an aggressive enforcement campaign that has now closed more than 100 illegal businesses citywide since mid-2024.
The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA), working with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), padlocked Lucky Seven Convenience and Tobacco, located at 1645 Connecticut Avenue NW, on January 22, 2026, after determining the business was illegally selling cannabis products outside of D.C.’s regulated medical cannabis system.
During the enforcement action, officers seized multiple controlled substances from the premises, including mushroom candy bars totaling 120 grams, 31.1 grams of marijuana pre-rolls, and 50 grams of THC vape cartridges, according to ABCA. A 34-year-old Virginia resident, identified by police as Kadam Alshiry of Cockeysville, Maryland, was arrested in connection with the operation.
The closure marks the 101st illegal cannabis business shut down since ABCA began enforcing expanded powers granted under the Medical Cannabis Conditional License and Unlicensed Establishment Closure Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, which took effect on July 15, 2024. The emergency legislation significantly strengthened the agency’s ability to swiftly shut down unlicensed cannabis sellers through civil enforcement actions, often in coordination with MPD.
District officials have repeatedly cited public health and safety concerns as the driving force behind the crackdown, pointing to the risks associated with untested and unregulated cannabis products sold outside the licensed medical market. ABCA has warned that such products may contain unknown potency levels or contaminants and are not subject to the District’s testing and labeling requirements.
The enforcement effort comes as legal cannabis businesses continue to operate under a strictly medical framework in Washington, D.C., with licensed dispensaries remaining the only lawful retail outlets for cannabis sales. ABCA encourages residents to report suspected illegal cannabis businesses through its online complaint portal and directs consumers to its official retailer locator to verify whether a business is licensed.
