California’s statewide cannabis enforcement continues to aggressively combat the illegal market.
The Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce more than doubled in the second quarter the amount of illegal cannabis seized in the first quarter of 2023 through strategic, wide-ranging enforcement actions, state officials said.
The second quarter ended June 30, with 92 search warrants served, up from 21 the first quarter, and 66,315 pounds of illegal marijuana seized, up from 31,912 pounds.
“This well-orchestrated taskforce continues to reach new heights on shutting down a variety of illicit operations that range from dispensaries to indoor grow houses to outdoor cultivation sites, among other facets in the illegal supply chain,” said David Bess, chief of enforcement for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “These enforcement numbers speak volumes on the dedication, perseverance, and organization of this multi-agency taskforce. I could not be prouder of what we are accomplishing as a team.”
By working closely with state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies, UCETF’s enforcement actions protect consumer and public safety, safeguard the environment, and deprive illegal cannabis operators and transnational criminal organizations of illicit revenue that undercuts the regulated cannabis market in California, officials said.
The estimated value on the black market of the illegal cannabis seized in the second quarter was more than $109 million, up from $52 million the first quarter. Another 129,970 illegally-grown cannabis plants were seized, up from 52,529 in the first quarter; 19 firearms were seized, up from four.
The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) licenses and regulates legal commercial cannabis activity within California. DCC works closely with all stakeholders, including businesses and local jurisdictions, to create a sustainable legal cannabis industry and a safe and equitable marketplace. To learn more about the California cannabis market, state licenses or laws, visit www.cannabis.ca.gov. ■