PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Anoor Luk, Business Owner, on Illegal Tobacco and Cannabis Stores
2:39:40
·
109 sec
Anoor Luk, a business owner in Chelsea for 26 years, testifies about the negative impact of illegal stores on his legal tobacco business. He describes how these unlicensed shops have significantly reduced his sales and forced him to close one of his stores.
- Luk had to take out a $1 million loan to keep his business running
- He reports that illegal stores often reopen within days of being closed down
- Luk pleads for authorities to close illegal stores permanently to protect legitimate businesses
Anoor Luk
2:39:40
Thank you, chair.
2:39:43
Actually, I'm with the wrong group.
2:39:45
I'm a my name is Anur Luck.
2:39:48
I'm a business owner.
2:39:50
I've been in this I have a business in the city in Chelsea.
2:39:54
26 years.
2:39:56
The last 5, 6 or 4 years ago, a lot of illegal stores started opening.
2:40:04
I lost one as I had another story.
2:40:06
In 42nd, I closed that.
2:40:09
I've been suffering because because the illegal store.
2:40:13
I have a legal tobacco store.
2:40:16
I've been suffering for all these years.
2:40:21
My business going down and down because People sell out of a state cigarette for $10, $9, and my cigarette is $18.
2:40:32
Nobody won my cigarette.
2:40:35
I've been suffering all these years.
2:40:37
I had to take is be alone for $1,000,000 to run my store.
2:40:42
I've been suffering through the COVID.
2:40:48
And illegal store have been opening left and right North of me, south of me, all over the places.
2:40:56
Thank god, they closed some of them, but most they still open most of them.
2:41:02
They closed today, 7 days later, they open again.
2:41:07
One of the store, they changed the name, they opened again.
2:41:12
Police sure came four or five times.
2:41:15
The entire store is still open.
2:41:20
They're stealing my business.
2:41:24
So I'm in a wrong aisle, but all I have to say, please close the illegal stores.
