Authorities have closed down an unlicensed cannabis retailer operating in Northwest D.C., citing public health and safety concerns. The Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration’s (ABCA) Enforcement Division, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), executed a Closure Order on Apple Dreamz, located at 3003 Georgia Avenue NW, on Mar. 13, 2025.
The address is also placarded, one of the final steps in opening as an licensed medical dispensary, under the business name Apple Dream. It received a placard in June 2024, according to ABCA records.
The action was taken following the Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis (ABC) Board’s decision to issue the Closure Order due to the business’s continued operation without a proper license. According to officials, the business posed a “credible and imminent danger to public health and safety.” The closure involved padlocking the premises to prevent further operation, according to an ABCA press release.
MPD officers from the Violent Crime Suppression Division accompanied ABCA during the operation, during which they observed illegal products. A subsequent search warrant resulted in the seizure of illegal substances, including:
More than 15 pounds of alleged cannabis
1.18 pounds of mushrooms
29 grams of mushroom edibles
More than 100 grams of THC edibles
More than 10 grams of THC vapes
The business owners have the option to request a hearing before the ABC Board. However, before the property can be reopened, the ABC Board may require the property owners to submit a remediation plan outlining how they will actively prevent future illegal cannabis sales on the premises. Additionally, the property owners could face a $10,000 fine each.
This closure marks the 37th illegal cannabis business shut down since Bill 25-872, the Medical Cannabis Conditional License and Unlicensed Establishment Closure Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2024, took effect on July 15, 2024. This legislation granted ABCA expanded civil enforcement powers.
ABCA has been actively working to address the proliferation of unlicensed cannabis retailers. To date, the agency has issued 43 Cease and Desist Orders and 114 written warning letters to businesses that failed to apply for a medical cannabis business license during the designated open application period for unlicensed operators.
It is important to note that, as per D.C. law, unlicensed businesses with pending applications filed during the open application period are exempt from ABCA enforcement actions until March 31, 2025.
Furthermore, ABCA is also targeting property owners who allow illegal cannabis businesses to operate on their premises. Following a Cease and Desist Order, the agency sends a certified letter to the property owners, informing them that they may face civil and criminal penalties if they fail to immediately cease all illegal cannabis activity on their property.
