Unlicensed L.A. marijuana retailer arrested; hundreds of pounds of MJ seized

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The owner and six employees of an unlicensed cannabis store in Los Angeles were arrested and charged with misdemeanors, according to the California Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC).

The shop, One Stop Healers, was the subject of a search warrant served by the BCC and the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Division of Investigation-Cannabis Enforcement Unit.

The L.A. Police Department also took part in the bust, helping seize more than $2 million in illegal cannabis goods, including nearly 500 pounds of MJ flower, more than 430 pounds of concentrates and 200-plus pounds of edibles, according to a news release.

The owner of One Stop Healers, Sevada Khanlari, and six employees were arrested and charged with operating an unlicensed commercial cannabis business. It’s not clear what penalties the seven may face, but further charges could be filed once the investigation is completed, according to the release.

The bust began with a complaint filed with the BCC, but enforcement against unlicensed cannabis businesses is being handled by both state and local law enforcement agencies.

L.A. remains a hotbed of unlicensed marijuana retail shops, with estimates ranging from the hundreds to nearly 2,000. Meanwhile, only 169 stores have been licensed by the city.

The United Cannabis Business Association, which represents a number of licensed MJ retailers in L.A., called the bust “a great step” but added that it’s “only one stone out of the quarry” when it comes to the city’s illicit cannabis market.