California Report Shows Ramped-Up Crackdown On Illicit Marijuana Operators
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The DCC enforcement statistics were released Thursday
California’s top cannabis regulator has boosted and improved enforcement of illicit marijuana operations the past two years, according to newly released data.
Warrants were issued, illegal cannabis plants eradicated, firearms seized and arrests exponentially increased since 2021 in the world’s largest regulated and illicit marijuana market.
According to Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) enforcement statistics released Thursday, the agency’s efforts resulted in:
- Search warrant operations increasing from 62 in 2021 to 155 in 2022, up 150%.
- Seizures of illegal cannabis skyrocketing to 144,254 pounds in 2022, a 246% jump from 41,726 pounds a year earlier.
- Arrests in 2022 more than tripling to 56. That’s still an incredibly low number that underscores the challenges that enforcement officials face in a state with minor fines associated with marijuana violations and little appetite for prosecuting them.
- Seizures of illegal cannabis in 2022 hitting $243 million, a 211% year-over-year increase from about $78 million, though monetary estimates are often inflated by government agencies.
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