A Downtown Long Beach businessman was stripped of his license to operate out of a building in East Village after the City Council voted unanimously to uphold findings that he had been operating an illegal cannabis delivery business.

The business owner, Jorge Larios, denied that he was operating any illegal business at his office building located at  216 Atlantic Ave. Tuesday night he maintained that the vans filled with cannabis products that city officials said were proof of his illegal operation were part of his legal statewide delivery business that he has a permit to run in the city of Davis.

However, city officials and two hearing officers contended that the vans on Larios’ property were not full, but being filled, when business license inspectors came to his property in December 2020 to perform an inspection.

“I didn’t deny the fact that the vans were there but I do have a state license,” Larios said.

Deputy City Attorney Art Sanchez said that while cannabis delivery is allowed in the city, operation from within the city’s boundaries is currently limited to the 32 active dispensaries in Long Beach.

Cannabis deliveries are allowed into Long Beach from other cities but the city maintains that it can control who gets to deliver from within the city.

Sanchez said that rule could be changing soon as the City Council will consider opening up delivery licenses as part of its efforts to increase the number of cannabis equity owners in the city in the coming months. But until then, delivery services like the one the city said Larios was operating are illegal.

The council’s vote ends a months-long process of hearings and appeals to strip Larios of his business license to operate in the city. Last week Larios said he would consider fighting the city’s actions in court if the council voted to uphold the hearing officer’s decision.

Downtown business may lose license after city officials say it operated an illegal delivery service