Assemblymember Zaccaro Hosts Back to School Supplies Giveaways and Cracks Down on Illegal Smoke Shops

 

Dear Friends, 

A new school year meant Team JZ and our community partners were out in full force to ensure our students were prepared with the essential supplies they need to succeed – all free of charge to families. Our students deserve a bright future which begins in the classroom and working together we will deliver on that promise. 

Back to School Bash at Loreto Playground

 

Our Community Office was thrilled to host our first Back to School Bash in August at Loreto Playground. Together we served over 500 children with book bags, school supplies, and other essential resources for another year of learning. 

Thank you to all the community organizations that attended the Back to School Bash in support of our youth.

Team JZ partners with Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association 

Together with the Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association and so many community partners we served hundreds of families with backpacks. 

Community Food Distribution and Back to School Supplies Giveaway

Together with ICNA Relief we prepared our students to head back to school and also distributed nutritious fruits and vegetables to over 200 people!

Thank you ICNA Relief, Spreading Love, AT&T, Mosholu Library NYPL and Bronx Community Board 7 and so many community partners for helping touch the hearts of so many throughout our communities. 

Illegal Cannabis Crackdown in the 80th District – Allerton

On September 14th, working in coordination with the New York County Sheriff's Department, we conducted targeted inspections on smoke shops in the Allerton section of The Bronx to combat the proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated sale of tobacco and cannabis. 

The locations found to be in violation of the law were:

• 649 Allerton Ave (200 Healthy Deli Corp);
• 686-688 Allerton Ave (BX Convenience & Smoke Store Corp); and 
• 800 Allerton Ave (Allerton Smoke Shop Inc)

Investigations into these businesses yielded the following:

•       Two (2) arrests
•       Four (4) C-Summons
•       Six (6) Notice of Violations with 32 violations and 196
•       Estimated $223,700 in penalties
•       14.5 Cartons of untaxed cigarettes
•       3,392 packages of other tobacco products
•       1,824 flavored vape products
•       2,009 packages of THC flowers weighing a total of
•       1,750 THC pre-rolls weighing a total of 4.44 lbs
•       367 packages of THC edibles weighing a total of 38.6lbs

This was a reckoning for those who willfully circumvent the law and target our most vulnerable citizens and children by acquiring and selling cannabis and tobacco products illegally, and to those who continue to engage in this illegal activity these sweeps are just the beginning. 

Illegal Cannabis Crackdown in the 80th District – Pelham Parkway

The reckoning continued on September 18, 2023, when the Sheriff's Joint Compliance Task Force conducted two inspections at unlicensed locations in the White Plains Road/Pelham Parkway neighborhood. These inspections resulted in five arrests, 135 counts of violations, and an estimated $153,600 in penalties.

I am proud to partner with the New York County Sheriff's Department and be at the forefront of a broader effort to curb the sale of illegal cannabis and tobacco products in our communities.

Finally, I am grateful to many constituents who have reached out to our Community Office to raise their concerns over the issue of illegal cannabis and smoke shops that sell it. These sweeps are yet another example of the positive outcome produced when elected representatives, residents and community organizations work hand-in-hand.