California Has Seized More Than $191M in Illegal Cannabis Since January

Since January, California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF) has seized more than $191 million worth of illegal cannabis across 13 of the state’s counties, with $70.7 million of that total occurring since July. 

In a statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said that the task force has seized more than 42,000 pounds of cannabis since the start of the year. 

“Through the UCETF, California continues the charge in cracking down on the illicit cannabis market for the safety of consumers and the support of the legal cannabis industry.” — Newsom in a press release 

Bill Jones, chief of the California Department of Cannabis Control’s Law Enforcement Division, noted that during the most recent quarter, UCETF “targeted unlicensed cannabis operators misusing the California cannabis universal symbol on their packaging.” 

“This deceptive practice confuses consumers and puts them at risk,” he said in a statement. “We are stepping up enforcement across the supply chain and shutting these operations down.” 

UCETF was launched in 2022 to combat the California illicit cannabis industry. Since its inception, UCETF has seized and destroyed over 162 tons worth of illegal cannabis worth an estimated $536 million through over 350 operations. The taskforce has also eradicated 526,037 plants, seized 167 firearms, and arrested 59 individuals, according to officials.