NY Appeals Court Overturns Ruling That Blocked Hemp Shop Raids
Prior to the preliminary injunction, hundreds of hemp retailers had been raided
The state Appellate Division’s Third Department has overturned a preliminary injunction that stopped raids on hemp stores across New York, rejecting retailers’ claims that the searches are unconstitutional.
Prior to the preliminary injunction, hundreds of hemp retailers had been raided by state regulators and law enforcement agencies who seized millions of dollars worth of product. In some cases, unannounced inspections of the retailers had included law enforcement in SWAT team gear — camouflage outfits, assault rifles — who handcuffed employees while rummaging through their personal belongings.
New York legalized marijuana in 2021, but new regulations the Cannabis Control Board introduced in 2023 restricted what kind of hemp products those licensed retailers could sell, including many that were already being sold in cannabis stores across the state. Those restrictions led to increased raids on hemp retailers, many of whom were unaware they were allegedly doing something improper.
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