Multiple Agencies Seize Almost $250 Million in Illegal Marijuana Linked to DTOs in Fresno County, California

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

Operation Sentinel in Fresno County Destroyed 32 Tons of Live Plants

During the week of June 7-11th, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Task Force (SITF) wrapped up an ongoing anti-marijuana operation known as “Operation Sentinel.” Narcotics detectives with SITF received assistance from members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California National Guard, and Cal Cannabis.

Together they executed multiple search warrants, open field eradications, and other marijuana-related investigations. Their work led to the following statistics.

• 75 locations eradicated
• 73,738 live marijuana plants destroyed, totaling nearly 32 tons
• Seizure of close to 3,000 lbs. of processed marijuana packaged for sale
• 21 jars of concentrated marijuana (honey oil) packaged for sale
• 37 arrests
• 10 firearms recovered
• One stolen car recovered
• $9,000 in cash seized

The estimated street value of all marijuana seized was just shy of $250 million. Cal Cannabis is in process of assessing fines and penalties to landowners responsible for the illegal commercial marijuana productions. Fines are estimated to total more than $5 million.

The possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal for recreational use in California, however, large, unlicensed marijuana operations remain illegal. Due to these operations being unregulated, they pose dangers to the public and environment. The majority of locations eradicated in Operation Sentinel were run by Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO) who were attempting to commercially cultivate illegal marijuana for sale. 

These DTOs included Mexican drug cartels, Chinese organized criminal operations, Laotian and Cambodian organized crime groups, and Outlaw Motorcycle Gang interests. These groups not only produce and distribute marijuana illegally but often deal in other substances such as methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.

Los Angeles County's Largest Drug Bust

This large bust in the Central California valley comes on the heels of Los Angeles County's largest drug bust in its history, as reported by Borderland Beat. Illegal marijuana cultivation in California still thrives due to high taxes and the high cost of lengthy licensing processes in the state. And with minimal consequences, the black market still exists in the legalized state.

Legal Licensing Delays

Recently, California approved a one-time $100 million grant to help California cities and counties streamline cannabis business licensing requested by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to be split among 17 cities and counties that have already issued marijuana business licenses to companies but are struggling to move them from “provisional” permits to “annual” licenses.

Licensing is a major problem in California because more than 80% of the state’s licensed marijuana companies are still operating on temporary provisional licenses and lawmakers have yet to authorize an extension of those licenses beyond 2021.

Subsequently, any company without an annual license is currently in danger of having to close its doors – at least temporarily – when its provisional permit expires in 2022. The $100 million grant is designed to alleviate that issue by speeding up local license processing. At $22 million, Los Angeles is the largest recipient of the funds, the Times reported.

However, California marijuana industry insiders said the funding likely will not be nearly enough to solve the systemic issue it’s intended to address: a months-long bottleneck in getting annual business permits approved. Jerred Kiloh, president of the L.A.-based United Cannabis Business Association, said he’d prefer to see the Newsom administration focus its efforts on reforming the licensing process itself instead of throwing money at the existing problem.

In addition, Kiloh noted, because the $100 million is going only to cities and counties that have already approved legal cannabis programs, the move won’t incentivize local governments that have banned marijuana businesses to change their stance.

Sources:

KMJNow

MJBizDaily