The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration (ABCA) shut down Green Cloud Shop, an unlicensed cannabis business located at 706 Kennedy Street, NW, Washington, DC, last week.
The closure comes after the business continued to sell cannabis products despite receiving a written warning and Cease and Desist Order for operating without a license. ABCA deemed Green Cloud Shop a “credible and imminent danger to public health and safety,” leading to the store’s closure and padlocking, according to an ABCA press release.
Joint Operation Leads to Evidence and Arrest
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers accompanied ABCA during the operation. Police observed illegal cannabis products in plain sight within the store. A search warrant was obtained, and officers seized numerous THC products, suspected marijuana, and a substance testing positive for opium.
Green Cloud Shop owner, 49-year-old Abdelhak Hamsasse, was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute and Operating a Business After Certificate of Authority has been Revoked.
Second Unlicensed Business Closed Under New Law
This marks the second illegal cannabis business shut down by ABCA since the enactment of Bill 25-872, which granted the agency new enforcement powers. The legislation allows ABCA to take action against unlicensed operators while a grace period exists for qualifying businesses to apply for medical cannabis licenses.
ABCA Takes Further Steps
Hamsasse has the right to request an emergency hearing within five business days. The ABCA Board must hold a hearing within five business days of the request and issue a determination within five days of the hearing.
Before regaining access to the property, Hamsasse may need to submit a plan for preventing future illegal cannabis sales. Additionally, the ABCA Board can impose a $10,000 fine.
Enforcement Continues
ABCA has issued 23 Cease and Desist Orders and 79 written warnings to unlicensed businesses that failed to apply for medical cannabis licenses during the designated application period. Unlicensed businesses that applied during that window are exempt from enforcement actions until September 30, 2024, or Board approval (whichever is later).
