New Mexico Regulators Revoke Cannabis License for Selling Products from California

An Albuquerque, New Mexico cannabis retailer last week had their license revoked for selling cannabis products from California. On July 13, the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department ordered Paradise Distro LLC to terminate sales immediately.  

It is the first time state regulators have revoked a cannabis business license in the state.  

In a statement, Regulation and Licensing Department Superintendent Linda Trujillo said the “revocation should serve as a warning to those selling or receiving out-of-state cannabis products.”

“In the interest of public safety, the department is holding true to the intent of the Cannabis Regulation Act and taking action upon licensees that have violated the law. … Our compliance officers are ramping up inspections and we will work to remove bad actors from within the New Mexico cannabis industry.” — Trujillo in a press release 

According to the Licensing Department, Cannabis Control Division compliance officers found numerous violations at Paradise, including possessing, receiving, and selling cannabis products that were not native to New Mexico and marked with California stampings. The company was also displaying products such as edibles and concentrates that were not properly documented on the required shipping manifests, and inaccurately reporting sales data, including more than $56,000 in cash and $8,338 in additional funds that were reported in the licensees’ third-party point-of-sale system but not in BioTrack, the state’s required track and trace system. 

Representatives for the company did not attend an April evidentiary hearing and the recommendation to revoke the license was signed June 30.