HAPPY MART CASe CLoSed, ReoPeNed

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On Jan. 24, Chief of Police Michael Hayes reported that the Village of Cazenovia Police Department’s investigation into the sale of illegal THC products at Happy Mart convenience store at 63 Albany St. has been reopened because some aspects of the case are still being pursued. The department originally closed the case on Saturday, Jan. 7.

On Oct. 13, 2022, a search warrant was executed on Happy Mart following a three-week-long investigation into the sale of illegal THC products.

The search warrant was issued by Village Justice D. Christian Fischer and executed by the Cazenovia Police

Department.

In an Oct. 13 press release, the department said it had received information that “look-alike products” were being sold at the store.

Hayes explained that such products look like familiar food items, such as gummies, candies, and cookies, but contain THC. For example, the THC- containing “Trips Ahoy!” cookies closely resemble the “Chips Ahoy!” brand.

Happy Mart has not been issued a license by New York State to sell cannabis products. Further, the Village of Cazenovia Board of Trustees voted on July 1, 2021, to opt out of licensing and establishing cannabis retail dispensaries and cannabis on-site consumption establishments within its boundaries.

At the time the search warrant was executed, the state had not yet issued any adult-use retail dispensary licenses.

“As we’ve said, there are currently no legal sales of adult-use cannabis in New York State, and any storefront that jumps ahead of the process will be shut down and risk losing the opportunity to operate in the legal industry,” said Daniel Haughney, director of investigations/enforcement for the New York State Office of Cannabis Management, in the Oct. 13 press release. “We’re thankful for our partnership with the Cazenovia Police Department, which shut down the illicit sales at this storefront. All others should be on notice: illicit sales by unlicensed stores will not be tolerated.”

Happy Mart was temporarily shut down on Oct. 13 to allow for the proper execution of the search warrant and then returned to its operators in “good working order,” Hayes said.

According to the police chief, the search yielded 1,869 THC products, including edibles, cannabis vaping products, and packaged pre-rolled blunts and joints dipped in cannabis oil for higher potency.

Later that day, Hayes reported that all the illegal THC products had been seized, pursuant to the search warrant, and would be processed and sent to the New York State Police (NYSP) Crime Laboratory for testing to determine if/ what criminal charges would be filed.

In a Jan. 23, 2023 update on the situation, Hayes announced that the case had been closed earlier that month because the NYSP Crime Laboratory said it was unable to conduct the testing. Therefore, the seized items would need