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Two convenience stores in Rome have been shut down after authorities discovered illegal cannabis products and flavored nicotine vapes being sold at the businesses. The closures came after a coordinated raid by local and state law enforcement agencies on Monday (March 24), targeting Brooklyn Exotics on Black River Boulevard and Prince Convenience on Turin Road, according to a news release from the Rome Police Department.
During the searches, officers seized cannabis flower, concentrates, and more than 4,200 flavored nicotine vapes from the two locations. At Brooklyn Exotics, police arrested a 20-year-old clerk, Nathaniel A. Doyle, charging him with unlicensed cannabis sales, a misdemeanor. At Prince Convenience, a 21-year-old clerk, Christian J. Wojdyla-Lerch, was charged with obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest after he allegedly interfered with officers, as reported by WKTV.
Both stores have been shut down by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, pending administrative hearings that will determine if they can reopen. The Oneida County Health Department is also expected to issue fines related to the illegal vape sales. A third business, Community Express Market, was found selling illegal flavored vapes but has not been closed; it will likely face fines instead.
The crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to enforce state cannabis regulations and protect public health. Tremaine Wright, the chair of the New York Office of Cannabis Management, said, "We must continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the legal cannabis market is not undermined by the sale of illicit products," according to National Today.
Authorities have reminded the public that selling cannabis products without a license from the Office of Cannabis Management is illegal. The investigation is ongoing, and further charges may be filed against additional store employees. Administrative hearings for Brooklyn Exotics and Prince Convenience will determine their future operating status.