In the continued crackdown on unlicensed cannabis businesses, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) have closed down two illegal retailers and taken action against a third.
On October 10, 2024, ABCA and MPD officers executed closure orders on Dreams Smoke Shop at 2335 18th Street NW and In the Cut at 1460 Park Road NW. Both businesses had been operating in defiance of cease and desist orders issued by the ABC Board.
During the closures, authorities discovered illegal cannabis products. At Dreams Smoke Shop, investigators seized 3.6 pounds of marijuana, 5.7 pounds of THC-laced edibles, 4.6 pounds of THC vape cartridges and entheogenic plants. At In the Cut, authorities recovered 4.4 pounds of marijuana, 4 grams of THC-laced edibles, 2.5 ml of liquid THC, and 30 grams of entheogenic plants. In addition, a Glock 42 handgun and ammunition were found at In the Cut, leading to the arrest of 50-year-old Rodney Marshall.
Just days earlier, on Oct. 8, the ABC Board issued a summary closure and suspension of the alcohol license for Power Night Club at 2335 Bladensburg Road NE. This action followed the recovery of 62 pounds of cannabis, 111 jars of THC waxes, 308 THC edibles and three firearms at the establishment on October 3.
The ABCA’s enforcement efforts are part of a broader crackdown on illegal cannabis businesses in the District. Since the passage of Bill 25-872 in July 2024, the agency has issued 26 cease and desist orders and 84 written warning letters to unlicensed operators. However ABCA has still issued no fines to landlords of illegal, unlicensed operations.
