California raids uncover $19M in illegal cannabis operations

State authorities have seized more than $19 million worth of illegal cannabis and cannabis products during coordinated operations in Oakland and Hayward, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced today.

"I'm proud of the recent work by our cannabis task force, seizing a staggering $19.2 million in illicit cannabis from across the Bay Area," Newsom said. "These operations are imperative in both bolstering California's legal cannabis market and protecting consumers from unregulated and dangerous products."

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife led an enforcement action in East Oakland that yielded $12.6 million in illegal cannabis products. The raid uncovered more than 7,000 illegal cannabis plants valued at $6.1 million, along with 1,200 pounds of processed cannabis flower worth $2 million, 581 pounds of concentrated cannabis valued at $4.4 million, and 6,250 disposable vape cartridges worth over $41,000.

During the Oakland operation, authorities discovered an illegal carbon dioxide and Butane Honey Oil laboratory. Due to its highly flammable and explosive nature, the laboratory posed significant public safety risks. Oakland Hazardous Materials Management and the Department of Toxic Substances Control safely disposed of it.

Nathaniel Arnold, Chief of Law Enforcement at CDFW, said, "This successful operation underscores the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce's dedication to safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, and preserving the integrity of California's regulated cannabis market."

In a concurrent operation in Hayward, the Department of Cannabis Control led a raid that resulted in the seizure of 4,018 pounds of illegal cannabis plants and processed flowers valued at $6.6 million. Local code enforcement officials red-tagged the location and disconnected electricity for community safety.

"UCETF continues to leverage the knowledge and experience of its partners to deliberately and effectively reduce the size of the unlicensed cannabis market," said Bill Jones, Chief of Law Enforcement at DCC. "Being able to coordinate and execute operations of this size simultaneously is a significant advantage when targeting the illegal market."

The operations involved multiple agencies, including the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. These enforcement actions stem from Newsom's 2022 creation of the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce, which aims to coordinate cannabis enforcement between state, local, and federal partners.

The task force's mission includes protecting consumer and public safety, safeguarding the environment, and preventing illegal cannabis operators and transnational criminal organizations from undermining California's regulated cannabis market through illicit revenue.