A joint enforcement operation in St. Mary’s County resulted in the seizure of more than $98,000 worth of cannabis and THC products from three tobacco and smoke shops, according to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
The operation was conducted Aug. 11 by the Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission’s Field Enforcement Division. Investigators executed search warrants at businesses in Callaway, California and Lexington Park while targeting suspected unlicensed cannabis sales.
Authorities reported seizing a combined 1,263 grams of cannabis flower and 4,639 THC products that officials described as non-compliant. The products had a reported combined retail value of $98,072.23. Investigators also seized 1,537 bottles of alcohol from one of the businesses.
No charges had been announced as of the Sheriff’s Office’s Aug. 13 release. Officials said charges against business operators and other individuals involved remain pending.
At Point Lookout Tobacco, 20990 Point Lookout Road in Callaway, investigators reported finding 659 grams of packaged and loose cannabis flower valued at $1,456.23. Authorities also seized 1,343 alternative THC products valued at $28,867.
The total reported value of the products seized at Point Lookout Tobacco was $30,323.23. The investigation is listed as case 26-ATCC-0240.
At Cloud Smoke Shop, 22811 Three Notch Road in California, investigators seized 201 grams of packaged and loose cannabis flower, which authorities valued at $7,910. They also reported recovering 1,251 alternative THC products valued at $33,581.
The combined reported value of the seizure at Cloud Smoke Shop was $41,491, the highest of the three locations. That investigation is listed as case 26-ATCC-0242.
The third search was conducted at Tobacco and Vape Shop, 21600 Great Mills Road in Lexington Park. Investigators reported seizing 403 grams of packaged and loose cannabis flower valued at $5,495 and 2,045 alternative THC products valued at $20,763.
Authorities also seized 1,537 bottles of alcohol at the Lexington Park location. The Sheriff’s Office placed the total location seizure value at $26,258. The case is listed as 26-ATCC-0176.
The enforcement action comes as Maryland regulators continue to police the boundary between the state’s licensed cannabis industry and businesses selling intoxicating THC products outside that system.
Under Maryland law, products intended for human consumption or inhalation that contain more than 0.5 milligrams of THC per serving or 2.5 milligrams per package generally may not be sold unless the seller is properly licensed and the product complies with state manufacturing, laboratory testing, packaging and labeling requirements. State law includes a limited exception for certain hemp-derived tinctures that meet specified cannabidiol-to-THC ratios and dosage limits.
The ATCC says its Field Enforcement Division is responsible for enforcing laws involving illegal cannabis sales and intoxicating THC products outside Maryland’s licensed cannabis market. The Maryland Cannabis Administration, meanwhile, oversees licensing and regulation of the legal cannabis industry.
Maryland expanded compliance requirements for THC products effective July 1, 2025. According to the ATCC, THC products subject to the requirements must meet state packaging and labeling standards, and non-compliant products may be seized or confiscated as part of enforcement actions. The agency says unlicensed businesses selling non-compliant products can face misdemeanor charges and fines of up to $5,000.
The Maryland Cannabis Administration says cannabis products sold through the regulated system are subject to state standards that include testing for potency and contaminants. Maryland’s testing requirements call for finished cannabis products offered for retail sale to be tested by an authorized independent laboratory.
The St. Mary’s County operation is not the first major ATCC enforcement action involving smoke shops this year. In May, the commission announced seizures stemming from investigations at two Anne Arundel County businesses. In those cases, investigators reported recovering cannabis flower along with THC pre-rolls, gummies, vapes and other products. One business operator had been charged with selling THC products without a license, according to the commission.
The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and ATCC said the latest operation was intended to protect public safety and the integrity of Maryland’s regulated cannabis market. Officials cautioned that unregulated products may not have undergone the testing required for products sold within the state-licensed system.
The investigation remains active while charging decisions are pending.
Questions about the investigation or the search warrants were referred to ATCC Agent Jack Morgan at Jack.Morgan@maryland.gov.
More information about the Maryland Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission is available at https://atcc.maryland.gov/.
