Adams oversees destruction of 4 tons of cannabis products from illegal shops
WESTBURY, Nassau County (WABC) -- New York City Mayor Eric Adams celebrated big gains in his war on illegal smoke shops Wednesday by destroying more than 8,000 pounds of seized cannabis products.
The mayor used a crane to move the more than four tons of products into an incinerator at a facility in Westbury, Nassau County.
The items were then destroyed.
"We don't want it recycled back into the communities. Placing it in a landfill, just really opens the door for them to salvage whatever they can. The goal is the destruction of the product," Adams said.
In May, the city launched a crackdown on the sale of illegal cannabis products.
Since then the joint law-enforcement effort involving the NYPD, the New York City sheriff, and other city and state agencies has shut down a thousand operations.
The heat from burning the cannabis and other garbage is converted into renewable energy used to power the facility and roughly 65,000 homes on Long Island.
"They have filtering system, over 90 something percent is filtered, doesn't get into the air. So this is a well-organized operation, you know, so if you live in the area, you're not getting high," Adams said.
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