[#item_full_content] [[{“value”:”SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On Wednesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF) has seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis valued at over $104 million between April and June.The state also eradicated nearly 90,000 cannabis plants, confiscated 17 firearms and made 24 arrests during the coordinated enforcement operations.The operations were conducted by the UCETF, which Newsom established in 2022. Since then, the state has seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis valued at more than $1.3 billion.”Disrupting the illegal cannabis market is about more than seizing unlicensed products – it’s about taking on criminal networks, removing illegal firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and stopping activity that threatens public safety,” said Newsom. “Through strong multiagency collaboration, California is making clear: if you threaten our communities, we will act.”The coordinated operations focused on illegal cannabis cultivation and distribution associated with environmental damage, illegal firearms, hazardous pesticides, labor exploitation and organized criminal activity. Enforcement activity spanned across 10 different counties.
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
The largest enforcement action took place between May 14 and June 3 in the southern Central Valley and northern Antelope Valley.Led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the operation served 26 search warrants at illicit cannabis sites across Tulare, Kern and Los Angeles counties.Investigators also discovered 13 cultivation sites where banned, unregistered or foreign-labeled pesticides were found or suspected.Officers eradicated nearly 24,000 cannabis plants, destroyed nearly 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis, documented Fish and Game Code violations, seized cash and arrested or cited multiple people.“Illicit cannabis cultivation continues to pose threats to the environment and public safety that we take very seriously,” said California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) Director Meghan Hertel. “UCETF partners found a wide range of violations and concerns during their operations this spring—among them, restricted pesticides that we frequently see at grow sites associated with organized criminal enterprises.””These toxic chemicals are harmful to fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on to survive, and they’re a threat to consumers, who could purchase cannabis that was illegally grown, processed and sold and hasn’t been tested for safety,” continued Hertel.
Office of Governor Gavin Newsom
In Riverside County, state and local partners dismantled an illegal indoor cultivation operation, seizing about 1,395 pounds of illicit cannabis products and 2,415 cannabis plants, with an estimated retail value of $2.3 million. Authorities identified hazardous environmental conditions that led local officials to red-tag the structure.In Los Angeles County, officers served 12 search warrants, eradicated more than 7,000 cannabis plants, recovered processed cannabis and suspected methamphetamine, and discovered the highly toxic pesticide methamidophos at 2 cultivation sites.In Butte County, officers seized nearly 13,500 cannabis plants, 2 firearms and evidence of organized criminal activity while documenting environmental violations.In Ventura County, following a monthslong investigation, officers executed search warrants at nine locations, recovering nearly 6,000 cannabis plants, processed cannabis, illegal drugs, 17 firearms – including an assault weapon – and more than $205,000 in cash. 14 people were arrested as part of the operation.Kern County saw the largest seizure, with 25,122 pounds of cannabis destroyed, valued at $41.5 million, and 26,442 plants eradicated.Alameda County followed with 14,682 pounds of cannabis destroyed, valued at $24.2 million, and 23,428 plants eradicated.Butte County came in third place with 6,748 pounds of cannabis destroyed, valued at $11.1 million, and 13,496 plants eradicated.“These continued efforts protect the health and well-being of California’s communities, our economy, and the licensed cannabis market,” said DCC Director Clint Kellum. “We must keep enforcement pressure on illegal operations that pose risks to consumers and undermine the progress of the regulated industry. Through the work of UCETF, California is leading the way in cracking down on the illicit cannabis market, making sure that consumers are safe and the legal cannabis industry remains strong and supported.”
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