NYC seizes $80m in Illegal products as part of anti-smoke shop operation

Mayor Eric Adams, alongside city officials, oversaw the transportation of more than 1,200 pounds of illegal vaping products out of New York City today, marking a significant step in the city’s ongoing effort to eliminate unlicensed smoke shops.

The seized products, which contain hazardous materials, will be destroyed in an environmentally responsible manner by the NYPD’s evidence destruction partner, ENP Environmental, based in Ohio.

Since the launch of “Operation Padlock to Protect,” the Adams administration has shut down over 1,200 unlicensed smoke shops across the city and confiscated an estimated $80 million worth of illegal goods, including vapes and cannabis products. The crackdown is a major component of the mayor’s broader initiative to improve public safety and protect youth from harmful substances.

“Today, we say goodbye and good riddance to products that endanger our children and undermine our quality of life,” said Mayor Adams. “Through our ‘Operation Padlock to Protect,’ we’ve shut down more than 1,200 unlicensed shops, seized $80 million in illegal products, and made significant progress in making New York City a safer, more affordable place to live.”

This decisive action follows Mayor Adams’ advocacy for increased local authority to combat illegal cannabis and vape sales, resulting in swift legislative support from Albany. In addition to vaping products, the operation has targeted untaxed and illegal cannabis, which Mayor Adams helped incinerate earlier this year in a similar event involving over four tons of seized goods.

New York City Sheriff Anthony Miranda praised the operation’s success, emphasizing that it continues to protect the city’s youth from the dangers of illegal vaping. “The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with our partner agencies to remove unlicensed and unregulated flavored vapes from the shelves of our communities, continuing the fight to protect our youth,” said Miranda.

NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas G. Donlon highlighted the public safety benefits of the initiative, stating, “The NYPD and our task force colleagues are dedicated to enforcing laws, holding accountable those who break them, and protecting the health of everyone we serve, especially our youth.”

The Adams administration has also filed federal lawsuits targeting distributors of illegal flavored vapes, which are popular among young people. These cases, now proceeding through federal court, aim to curb the sale of flavored disposable e-cigarettes, a key driver of youth vaping.

Operation Padlock to Protect is part of a larger five-borough strategy to enforce local laws against illegal smoke shops and build a safer environment for the city’s legal cannabis market. Mayor Adams has also launched “Cannabis NYC,” a program offering resources and support to New Yorkers entering the legal cannabis industry.

As Adams and his administration continue to tackle illegal sales and promote public health, New Yorkers are seeing the benefits of coordinated efforts across city agencies. State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar, who was instrumental in passing the SMOKEOUT Act, praised the city’s swift action, stating, “Today’s destruction of 1,246 pounds of illegal vaping products will save thousands of our children from a lifetime of nicotine addiction and lung damage—proof positive that we are winning the war on illegal smoke shops.”