California officials confiscated more than 63,000 pounds of illicit cannabis valued at over $104 million, along with guns and cash, in a three-month enforcement push aimed at organized criminal operations statewide.
From April through June, enforcement teams conducted operations in 10 counties, destroying more than 89,000 cannabis plants, recovering 17 firearms, seizing over $220,000 in cash and arresting 24 people, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
Since Newsom created California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force in 2022, the state has seized and eliminated more than 841,000 pounds of illegal cannabis, with an estimated value exceeding $1.3 billion.
California authorities seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth over $104 million during a three-month crackdown targeting organized criminal networks. (California Governor’s Office)
“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,” Newsom said in a statement.
“Through strong multiagency collaboration, California is making clear: if you threaten our communities, we will act,” he added.
The biggest operation occurred from May 14 to June 3 in the southern Central Valley and northern Antelope Valley, where the California Department of Fish and Wildlife headed a multiagency sweep that served 26 search warrants at illegal cannabis sites in Tulare, Kern and Los Angeles counties.
Authorities executed 26 search warrants at illegal cannabis grow sites in Tulare, Kern and Los Angeles counties during California’s largest enforcement operation of the spring. (California Governor’s Office)
Authorities eradicated nearly 24,000 cannabis plants, destroyed roughly 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis, seized cash, and arrested or cited multiple individuals.
Investigators also uncovered numerous environmental violations, including 13 cultivation sites where banned, unregistered or foreign-labeled pesticides were found or suspected.
Kern County accounted for the largest seizure during the three-month operation, with authorities confiscating more than 25,000 pounds of illegal cannabis valued at $41.5 million and destroying 26,442 plants.
Authorities also seized more than 14,500 pounds of illegal cannabis in Alameda County, valued at more than $24 million.
Investigators eradicated more than 89,000 illegal cannabis plants during coordinated enforcement operations across 10 California counties, officials said. (California Governor’s Office)
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Meghan Hertel said investigators routinely find restricted pesticides at illegal grow sites tied to organized criminal enterprises.
She warned the toxic chemicals threaten wildlife and can also pose a risk to consumers because illegally grown cannabis isn’t tested for safety.
