California DCC seizes more than $1B in illegal cannabis

Related: California Cannabis Licensing Facts and Figures

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) in California recently announced enforcement activities pushed the total value of seized illegal cannabis over the $1 billion mark in the last 13 months. The numbers from the enforcement are staggering: 232 search warrants, half a million pounds of product, 1.4 million cannabis plants, 120 firearms, and $2.3 million in illegally obtained assets. The DCC lead and assisted other law enforcement agencies in the endeavor.

The DCC said the “operations and the products they produce threaten consumer safety and the vitality of legal and compliant licensees”. The DCC hopes to create “a safe, sustainable, and equitable legal cannabis market.” Enforcement activities are important in eliminating unfair competition to legal license holders in California.

In a press release last month, the DCC expanded on specific operations all over the state in multiple counties. The large-scale investigations represent a push by the DCC to stamp out illegal cultivation. In Stanislaus County, authorities arrested over 90 people in one illicit cannabis cultivation facility as part of “Operation Green Day”.

DCC Grant to Expand Access to Legal Cannabis

In addition, the DCC announced they were expanding access to legal cannabis retail to consumers in cities and counties that do not currently allow cannabis retail. The DCC will allocate a $20 million grant to help these cities and counties expand access to cannabis. According to the DCC, only 44% of California cities allow at least one type of cannabis business. Recently, Indio, CA announced they will begin accepting cannabis businesses in their city. In addition, the DCC hopes to “lower barriers of participation for businesses”—though exactly how this will be accomplished has not been fully discussed.