The California authorities continue to take action against illegal cannabis activities

The California Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) recently announced its progress in “aggressively” cracking down on the illicit cannabis market.

Between January 1st and March 30th, the UCETF reported that the number of eradicated plants increased by 43% (52,529 plants in Q1 2023 compared to 29,687 in Q4 2022). The agency also serviced 21 warrants in the first quarter of the year, compared to 30 in the previous quarter (a 30% decrease).

The agency destroyed 31,912 pounds of cannabis, a 43% increase from destroying 29,687 plants in the fourth quarter. Between the last two quarters, there was a 39% increase in the retail value of seized cannabis products ($32 million versus $52.6 million). The recent UCETF seizures earlier this year also resulted in an 87% increase in funds seized in the raids, totaling $95,646 in Q1 2023 compared to just $12,602 in Q4 2022.

Law Enforcement Director Bill Jones said in a press release that working with the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) has resulted in a higher success and seizure rate. “As the DCC Law Enforcement Division focuses on illegal indoor cultivation, unlicensed dispensaries, and unlicensed manufacturing and distribution operations, the UCETF’s multi-agency, cross-border approach allows us to leverage the expertise of each department involved to address a broader range of issues to solve illicit deals,” Jones said. “The significant improvement in our results is a testament to our effectiveness and will help support the legal cannabis market.”

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Director David Bess said the overall increase in numbers will continue to increase. “This inter-agency task force has broken through and offers partners the opportunity to contribute to their field. “UCETF has quickly impacted the illicit cannabis supply chain, which in turn is contributing to the success of the regulated market,” said Bess. “The gains and successes achieved by the task force speak directly to the efficiency and dedication of this interagency collaboration and we expect to see this type of continued success throughout the year as UCEFT enters the outdoor enforcement season .”

The UCETF was created by California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2022-2023 budget to address illegal cannabis operations through a cross-departmental effort. It works closely with the DCC, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Homeland Security Division of the Cal Office of Emergency Services. It also works with numerous California agencies such as the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Justice, the Department of Public Health, the Employment and Human Resources Development Agency and many more.

UCETF has been operational since the summer of 2022, but announced its first major crackdown on a San Fernando Valley compound in October 2022. “California is taking immediate and aggressive action to stop illegal cannabis and bolster the burgeoning legal market across the state,” Newsom said in a press release at the time. “By shutting down illegal grow sites and imposing severe penalties on offenders, we are working to curb the criminal organizations that are undermining California’s regulated cannabis market.”

Since last year, the UCETF has seized $84,652,875 worth of unlicensed cannabis products, eradicated 82,216 plants and so far issued 51 search warrants.

In August 2022, the DCC announced that state law enforcement had seized more than $1 billion worth of illegal cannabis products between 2021 and 2022. “Achieved through close collaboration with local, state and federal partners, this important milestone furthers California’s efforts to prosecute activities that harm communities and the environment, including water theft, threats of violence, elder abuse and human trafficking, to name but a few to call.” the DCC wrote. “These operations and the products they manufacture endanger consumer safety and the vitality of legal and compliant licensees.”

While some government agencies are targeting illegal operations, others are examining the ill effects of the war on drugs. Recently, the Reparations Task Force released a detailed report on reparations, eventually recommending “that compensation for community damages be made as uniform payments based on an eligible recipient’s length of stay in California during the defined period of damage (e.g., residence in a above-average period). policing community during the 1971-2020 “War on Drugs”).” The task force will meet again before delivering its final report on June 29.