Mayor Eric Adams marked the one-year anniversary of the launch of the city’s “Operation Padlock to Protect” initiative at a pizzeria on the Rego Park and Middle Village border on Wednesday and touted the significant progress in shutting down more than 1,400 illegal smoke shops across the five boroughs and seizing more than $95 million in illegal product since last May.
“The city was fed up. We heard it at every town hall. This time last year, there were thousands of illegal smoke shops plaguing our city with unlicensed cannabis endangering our children,” Adams said. “One year later, we are proud to announce that we have turned the tide. Thanks to the tireless efforts by our city’s law enforcement officers, we’ve padlocked thousands of illegal shops and created safer streets for children and families. But we’re not stopping there.”
The event was held at Salsa Pizzeria, which opened in a padlocked illegal smoke shop at 63-118 Woodhaven Blvd. and became a model for the program’s success.
“The next step of our plan is to work with property owners to safely and legally re-open their vacant storefronts, replacing illegal smoke shops with pizzerias, bakeries, barber shops, retail stores, and other legal establishments. These businesses will help revitalize neighborhoods and help grow our record number of small businesses even higher.”
Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech joined the mayor and recalled opening the sixth Queens Tech Incubator last year.
“When we opened up a tech incubator on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills, we counted three weed shops across the street, three of them,” Grech said. “And it gave the city a black eye, it gave the legit players a black eye, it gave everybody involved the black eye, and there was nothing that could be done.”
The playing field has changed after the record-high closures of illegal smoke shops, thanks to the initiative.
“In a year, they shuttered 1,400 shops that were attracting crime, selling to children, and sapping revenue from legal dispensaries,” Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar said. “As we celebrate the success of Padlock to Protect on its first anniversary, we begin the process of reopening storefronts, allowing lawful businesses to grow and thrive.”
State Senator Leroy Comrie has seen the positive impact the initiative has had in Southeast Queens.
“‘Operation Padlock to Protect’ is helping restore order and opportunity to our commercial corridors. By closing illegal shops and making way for safe, licensed businesses, this initiative strengthens public safety and supports responsible economic growth,” Comrie said. “I was proud to have had key elements of my SMOEOUT ACT bill incorporated into last year’s budget, giving the city the authority for Operation Padlock, and I look forward to seeing these facilities become vibrant spaces that serve local needs and uplift neighborhood economies.”
The city is allowed to padlock storefronts for up to one year following a closure due to the sale of illegal products; as the city reaches the one-year mark, the NYC Sheriff’s Office will work with landlords to unseal their properties and allow them to reopen with a new, legal business in their place.
“This is what it looks like when government comes together to solve real problems and create a safer, more affordable city for all New Yorkers,” Adams said.
“One year later, we’re standing inside of a location that benefited from this operation.”
Salsa Pizzeria co-owner Mike Bancale emigrated to the United States from Italy 16 years ago and, with his Colombian and Italian business partners, opened their first pizzeria in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
“We are extremely proud of what we do,” Bancale said. “We are in the top 50 pizzerias of the United States. If you consider that, there are more than 72,000 pizzerias, and being currently number 34 makes us extremely proud, especially in a city like New York.”
They expanded in March, opening the new pizzeria in what was a padlocked illegal smoke shop called Dukaan Boyz on Woodhaven Boulevard.
“As I like to say, this is a place for kids, adults, families, date night, solo diners,” Bancale said. “I am extremely honored to talk here and to host this event and to have the mayor of the greatest city in the world today here.”
The mayor said there are now 160 legal cannabis dispensaries across the city, and sales exceeded $350 million last year.
“Good-paying jobs, good industry, and for those who are out there, come to Mike’s,” Adams said. “Get some good pizza when you get the munchies from that good cannabis that you smoked.”
