Departmental cooperation strengthens the state’s aggressive stance on unlicensed cannabis operations
SACRAMENTO – Continuing efforts to reinforce public safety, public health and the legal and regulated cannabis market, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) combined efforts led to the seizure of $20,852,700 worth of illicit cannabis plants in Oakland.
Last week the CHP conducted an investigation in the South Prescott neighborhood when they discovered a warehouse containing 25,276 illegally cultivating cannabis plants. After verifying the operation was unlicensed, the CHP promptly contacted the DCC, which quickly obtained and served a search warrant and removed the plants.
“Illicit cannabis cultivation in urban areas is dangerous, as the criminals involved in these operations often carry firearms, use illegal pesticides which damage local water supplies and place consumers and the public at risk,” stated Department of Cannabis Control’s Northern Law Enforcement Commander, Kevin McInerney. “We appreciate the California Highway Patrol’s dedication to many aspects of law enforcement and its ability to quickly notify us of this operation.”
In addition to the illegal plants, the DCC also seized two firearms and several illegal pesticides.
“Every investigation has the potential to uncover a larger, more complex case,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “With our law enforcement partners at the Department of Cannabis Control, we dismantled an illegal operation, turning a small lead into a major breakthrough, further protecting the community and increasing public safety.”
In 2024, Governor Newsom’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce, co-led by DCC and The Department of Fish and Wildlife, worked with state officials to seize over $534 million in illegal cannabis. Since 2019, officials have seized and destroyed nearly 800 tons, or about 1.6 million pounds, of illegal cannabis worth an estimated retail value of $2.8 billion through over 1,400 operations.
About the DCC:
The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) licenses and regulates 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. DCC develops and implements progressive cannabis policies that include important protections for public health, safety, and the environment.
To learn more about the California cannabis market, state licenses, or laws, visit: www.cannabis.ca.gov.
