The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Administration began issuing cease-and-desist orders to unlicensed weed stores in July and, with the help of Mr. Schwalb’s office, shut down the first of the 25 stores, Supreme Terpene on U Street Northwest, in September.

Unlicensed “gifting” shops, in which a consumer buys a non-narcotic item and is given a marijuana product as a gift, were given notice before the crackdown to get licensed for medical sales.

Recreational pot sales remain illegal in the nation’s capital.

“For too long, unlicensed cannabis stores have been illegally selling unregulated, untested products that put District residents’ safety at risk. All so-called ’gifting shops’ were given ample time to apply for legal medical marijuana licenses, but many failed or refused to do so,” Mr. Schwalb said.

Some of the closed stores sold products that tested positive for other drugs, including the hallucinogen psilocybin and amphetamines. The D.C. police also found weapons, cash and other drugs including cocaine while executing some of the search warrants, the attorney general’s office said.

Five of the 25 stores listed by Mr. Schwalb’s office have reopened without selling cannabis products, while another has kept a licensed facility open and its unlicensed second floor closed.

Eighteen of the shops were in Northwest, with four in Northeast and the remaining three in Southeast.

Crackdowns on the illegal marijuana shops are continuing.

“We continue to get referrals, and when we get the referrals, we jump into action,” Stephanie Litos, senior counsel in the attorney general’s office, told WTOP-FM.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.