Saratoga, CA —
California seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis valued at over $104 million during coordinated enforcement operations conducted between April and June, Governor Gavin Newsom announced.
The operations were carried out by the state's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force, a multiagency effort Newsom established in 2022 to combat illicit cultivation tied to organized crime, environmental damage, and threats to public safety. Across 10 counties, partners eradicated nearly 90,000 plants, confiscated 17 firearms, and made 24 arrests. Since the task force began, it has seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis worth over $1.3 billion.
The largest action ran from May 14 to June 3 across the southern Central Valley and northern Antelope Valley, led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and spanning Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. Investigators documented environmental violations at 13 sites where banned or unregistered pesticides were found or suspected.
"Disrupting the illegal cannabis market is about more than seizing unlicensed products — it's about taking on criminal networks, removing illegal firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and stopping activity that threatens public safety," Newsom said.