New Mexico Cannabis Business Loses License for Illegally Obtaining Cannabis for Retail Purposes

New Mexico regulators have revoked the license of an Albuquerque cannabis business and ordered them to pay nearly $300,000 in fines after finding that the company illegally obtained cannabis and improperly transported it, KOB4 reports. Golden Roots, which does business as Cannabis Revolution Dispensary, must stop all commercial activity and recall all of its cannabis products. The fine is linked to the money earned while allegedly possessing and distributing illegal products.  

According to regulators, Golden Roots requested to enter fully-grown, harvested, and dried plants into its system just two months after receiving their licenses, which tipped off the state Cannabis Control Division (CCD), who said plants usually take longer than two months to reach maturity. State compliance officers inspected the company’s growing facility and said they found no evidence of a functional cultivation operation, the report says. Later, regulators allege, they found the company moving fully-grown and harvested cannabis plants off-site.  

In a statement, CCD Director Todd Stevens said Golden Roots actions “show a blatant disregard for the Cannabis Regulation Act and the laws all licensees in New Mexico must follow.”  

“Our compliance officers will continue performing daily inspections, following up on complaints, and working to remove all bad actors from the New Mexico cannabis industry.” — Stevens, in a press release, via KRQE 

The business reportedly requested an evidentiary hearing last month but no one from the company showed up. 

According to state regulators, Golden Roots is the third in the state to have its license revoked but the first to face hefty fines for illegal activity.