Marijuana Sticker Shop in Watkins Glen gets Raided
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (WENY) -- Fat Daddy’s Smoke & Gift Shop, a marijuana sticker shop, in Watkins Glen was raided by police after officers say they served a search warrant Thursday afternoon.
The raid happened at the shop on North Franklin Street in Watkins Glen. On site, investigators could be seen bagging up items inside. Jamie Walker, owner of the shop, was not happy as he watched his vehicle get towed away.
“You ain't got no warrant,” he said. “You're illegally stealing my car.”
In front of Fat Daddy’s Smoke & Gift Shop, two vehicles were seized by police officers and towed away, during the raid on the store.
According to the Watkins Glen Police Department, officers with the village assisted the New York State Police during the raid. At this time, no further information has been released.
Walker was upset as he remembered the chain of events that took place.
“We were sitting here, minding our business...every day was like every day and the cops came in... said they had a warrant,” he said. “They detained us for four hours.”
Investigators bagged up evidence as police officers blocked the front door of the smoke shop. Walker did not comment as to why police served a search warrant, but he did say he is not happy about his car being involved.
“They came in, they seized our property, they took our vehicles, they gave a search warrant for one vehicle but not my vehicle,” he said. “I feel as though they illegally took my vehicle.”
Recently, this is the second type of marijuana sticker business to be raided by police officers in the Southern Tier. The first business to be raided was Bmillz at locations located in Owego, Nichols, and Waverly on February 11th.
Before the first known local raid, a few days prior, the New York State said it was cracking down. In a letter sent out to "sticker shop" business owners, the New York Office of Cannabis Management said marijuana gifting is illegal and anyone who does it risks their ability to get a legal dispensary license.
Recently, marijuana sticker shops all adopted the same concept that exploited a loophole in state law. People could not directly buy marijuana but instead, buy a sticker and be gifted marijuana.
In the meantime, Walker said he'll be open again tomorrow.
"These cops are doing...for whatever reason...they've lost their minds,” he said.
WENY has reached out to the New York State Police to find out more information. Nothing further has been released. We'll keep you updated as this story develops.