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Sheriff’s Office raids illegal smoke shop across street from Astoria church

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Friday morning seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

Oct. 20, 2023 By Bill Parry

Members of the NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop across the street from Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday, Oct. 20.

Officers entered the Gazzo Convenience shop located at 37-01 31st Ave. at around 10:30 a.m. and began a search of the premises. Officers found 400 to 500 cartons of untaxed cigarettes stashed in hiding places beneath the cellar stairs and behind trap doors in addition to many pounds of illegal marijuana and marijuana flower product, according to law enforcement sources at the scene.

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Oct. 20, seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Oct. 20, seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

A store worker was taken into custody and led out of the corner storefront but an NYPD spokeswoman could not provide his identity or what crimes he is being charged with while the Sheriff’s Office was still taking inventory of the seized illegal cigarettes and marijuana products.

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Oct. 20, seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Oct. 20, seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

“The Sheriff’s Office continues to conduct thorough investigations,” NYC Sheriff Anthony Miranda said in a statement to the Queens/Astoria Post. “We continue to collaborate with other agencies and in our enforcement efforts we discover new methods being used to conceal their illegal activity.”

The NYC Sheriff’s Office raided an illegal smoke shop in the heart of Astoria on Oct. 20, seizing hundreds of boxes of untaxed cigarettes and illegal marijuana products. (Photo by Lloyd Mitchell)

Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

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