On Friday, September 13, the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration’s Enforcement Division, accompanied by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, served a Closure Order to the owner of Green Cloud Shop, an unlicensed cannabis business located at 706 Kennedy Street, NW, Washington, DC.

The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis (ABC) Board issued the Closure Order in response to the business continuing to sell cannabis products without a license, in violation of a written warning and Cease and Desist Order.

Due to the business posing a credible and imminent danger to public health and safety, ABCA shuttered the business, including padlocking the doors.

MPD officers and Investigators from the Violent Crime Suppression Division accompanied ABCA during the business closure and observed illegal products in plain sight inside the store.

A search warrant was obtained and executed at the location. MPD seized numerous packages of THC products, a bowl containing a green weed-like substance, multiple marijuana plants, and a bag containing a powdery residue which provided a preliminary positive field test for opium.

The store owner, 49-year-old Abdelhak Hamsasse, of Northwest, DC, was arrested and charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute and Operating a Business After Certificate of Authority has been Revoked.

The business owner may request an emergency hearing within five (5) business days after service. If requested, the ABC Board must hold the hearing within five (5) business days of the request and issue a determination within five (5) business days of the hearing date.

Prior to access to the property being returned to the property owner, the ABC Board may require the property owner to submit for Board approval, a remediation plan addressing how they will actively prevent future illegal cannabis sales on-premises. The ABC Board also has the authority to issue a $10,000 fine to the property owner.

Green Cloud Shop is the second illegal cannabis business closed by ABCA since Bill 25-872, the Medical Cannabis Conditional License and Unlicensed Establishment Closure Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, which granted the agency with new civil enforcement powers, took effect on July 15, 2024.

To date, ABCA has issued 23 Cease and Desist Orders and 79 written warning letters to illegal cannabis businesses that did not apply for a medical cannabis business license during the open application period for unlicensed operators.

Per DC law, unlicensed businesses that applied during that specific open application period are exempt from ABCA enforcement actions until September 30, 2024, or within 180 days of Board approval, whichever date is later.

Following the issuance of a Cease and Desist Order, ABCA sends by certified mail a letter to each property owner where an illegal cannabis business is operating advising them that they may personally be subject to civil and criminal penalties for failure to immediately cease all illegal cannabis activity.

Questions regarding:

• Medical cannabis licensing and enforcement should be directed to ABCA at [email protected].
• Illegal product seizure and arrests should be directed to MPD at [email protected].