EAST HAVEN, CT — In what officials said was the largest civil penalty ever imposed for illegal cannabis sales in the state, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced Friday that he has secured a $4.93 million judgment against an East Haven smoke shop.

The record judgment is against Planet Zaza of East Haven and its owner, Mohamed Alraishani in his personal capacity, following “persistent illegal cannabis sales in spite of a court order and repeated law enforcement visits,” according to a news release from the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office.

“This is the largest civil penalty ever imposed in Connecticut for illegal cannabis sales, underscoring the egregious nature of Planet Zaza’s misconduct,” the news release states.

Tong said Connecticut is “not playing around.”

“Legal cannabis is not a free-for-all,” Tong said in a statement. “If you are unlicensed, if you sell untested, unregulated cannabis, we will find you and we will hold you accountable.”

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said, “Licensed cannabis establishments are the only businesses allowed to sell cannabis in Connecticut. Adults who choose to consume cannabis are reminded to make purchases through the regulated market, and practice safe consumption and storage. Thank you, as always, to our partners at the Office of the Attorney General and the East Haven Police Department for their collaboration and commitment to keeping our communities safe.”

Tong first sued Planet Zaza and Alraishani in January 2024 in connection with violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, after multiple unannounced inspections conducted by the Department of Consumer Protection and Office of the Attorney General found “numerous high-THC cannabis edibles, including those more potent than any authorized for sale in Connecticut,” according to the news release. “Investigators also discovered unauthorized labels, including fake prescription labels falsely indicating that the store was a licensed dispensary and that the illegal products were medical-use cannabis. The products were not produced in a licensed facility or tested in accordance with state law, and many contained youth-appealing packaging.”

Officials said the illegal sales persisted after the complaint was filed, and after multiple visits from DCP and the East Haven Police Department.

The judge issued a temporary injunction on Nov. 12, 2024, ordering Planet Zaza and Alraishani to cease illegal sales, but “Planet Zaza and Alraishani ignored the court’s order,” according to the news release.

The Office of the Attorney General sought penalties of $5,000 per day for every day Planet Zaza and Alraishani offered for sale cannabis products in violation of CUTPA.

“Due to the egregious nature of Planet Zaza and Alraishani’s misconduct and the ongoing threat to public safety, the court this week ordered Planet Zaza and Alraishani to pay $5,000 for each of the 621 days they willfully violated CUTPA, and $25,000 for each of the 73 days the defendants violated the court’s temporary injunction, for a total civil penalty of $4.93 million,” officials wrote in the news release. “The Attorney General’s Office would like to thank the Department of Consumer Protection and the East Haven Police Department for their assistance in this matter.”

Residents age 21 and over can legally possess and consume cannabis in Connecticut, but cannabis products may only be sold in the regulated market and must meet rigorous testing and packaging requirements, according to officials.

“Despite those laws, illegal sale of high-THC cannabis products continues in Connecticut,” officials wrote. “In unannounced visits and raids, state and local law enforcement routinely find illegal cannabis products for sale, including untested and unsafe edibles, blunts and marijuana flower.

“This is the largest civil judgment levied against a smoke shop for illegal cannabis sales, but not the first. Prior to this judgment, Attorney General Tong obtained judgments totaling $300,000 against nine retailers and wholesalers.”

Under new amendments to the Responsible and Equitable Regulation of Adult-Use Cannabis (RERACA), businesses and individuals selling cannabis without a cannabis establishment license are subject to an even greater fine of $30,000 per day, according to officials.