California has seized over $61 million in illegal cannabis products since the start of the year.
The state revealed this week that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s cannabis enforcement task force confiscated 36,600 pounds of unlicensed cannabis and eradicated over 62,000 illegal plants.
The big picture: The cannabis enforcement task force conducted operations in Alameda, Fresno, Humboldt, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Joaquin, Trinity and Orange Counties from January through April.
- Along with the cannabis, law enforcement also seized 11 firearms and made five arrests.
The backstory: The task force was founded in 2022 and has served 256 search warrants since then, seizing over $406 million in unlicensed cannabis.
- Overall, the task force has also eradicated nearly 410,000 illegal plants and seized 139 firearms.
What they’re saying: “While we watch California’s legal cannabis market grow to become the largest worldwide, we are taking down those who operate outside the law,” Newsom said. “Putting a stop to illegal cannabis operations also means stopping organized crime, human trafficking, and the spread of illegal products that harm the health of Californians and our environment.”
