A big quantity of illegal cannabis worth over $68 million was recently seized by California authorities. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted an operation on July 11-13, seizing 24 locations suspected of being involved in the illegal cannabis trade.
Whitney Creek, Harry Cash, and Shasta Vistas in Siskiyou County, Northern California, were all found to have unlicensed commercial cannabis growing operations. Agents from the state’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce participated in the operation.
In the course of the crackdown, police confiscated:
– 67,045 illegal cannabis plants
– 8,019.75 pounds of illegal processed cannabis worth an estimated $68.5 million
– A dozen firearms confiscated
The tweet below verifies the news:
Over $109 million in illegal cannabis was seized by California authorities during a statewide crackdown. https://t.co/jZh7zEV1hk
— KTLA (@KTLA) July 6, 2023
Authorities claim that illegal cultivation sites used illegal pesticides and other harmful chemicals, among other alleged environmental crimes. “These dangerous chemicals not only degrade California’s natural resources, but also endanger workers and others exposed to them,” officials said.
In 2022, authorities from all levels of government came together to form the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce in an effort to “disrupt the illegal cannabis market.” More than $109 million worth of illegal cannabis was seized by California authorities during the second quarter of 2023, a 104 percent increase from the first quarter.
Here’s where you can find the latest California news and in-depth analysis:
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“California is taking immediate and aggressive action to stop illegal cannabis and strengthen the burgeoning legal market throughout the state,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “By shutting down illegal grow sites and applying serious consequences to offenders, we are working to curtail the criminal organizations that are undercutting the regulated cannabis market in California.”
If you want to know what’s going on in the Golden State, the California Examiner is your best bet.