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Local officials in an unincorporated part of King County, just east of Seattle, are targeting 15 medical marijuana dispensaries that are deemed illegal because they don’t have state permits.

The businesses were sent letters last week ordering them to close down or face possible penalties, which could include civil forfeiture, product seizure or even criminal charges, according to the Enumclaw Courier-Herald.

Factbook4 300x150 2 15 Unlicensed Dispensaries Targeted Near SeattleKing County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg argued that the unlicensed businesses are “undermining Washington State’s new law” that rolls medical cannabis dispensaries into the same regulatory framework as rec shops.

“How local jurisdictions deal with this issue may well determine the success of the entire law,” Satterberg said.

Under the new law, signed by Gov. Jay Inslee in April, dispensaries and collective gardens are required to obtain state licenses by July 1 of next year, as well as meet various other state mandates.