Law Enforcement

The $735,000 settlement highlights the growing need for law enforcement to align with hemp industry regulations, as legal operators push back against arbitrary product seizures.

Armed robbers last week held at gunpoint five cannabis workers at a licensed California cannabis farm, making off with more than 150 pounds of processed cannabis that officials estimated to be worth about $150,000.

The Illinois Supreme Court this week ruled that the smell of raw cannabis is grounds for police to conduct a vehicle search during a traffic stop. The ruling departs from a previous decision by the court that found the smell of burnt cannabis is not grounds for searching a vehicle.

New Mexico lawmakers are considering giving new enforcement powers to officials with the state’s Cannabis Control Division; the proposal would establish a “Compliance Bureau” aimed at disrupting the illicit cannabis market.

A lawsuit filed on behalf of eight licensed New Mexico cannabis operators alleges that federal agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs & Border Protection unlawfully seized state-legal cannabis products and cash, violating the companies’ Fifth Amendment right to due process.

Canadian authorities said they took down an organized crime group on Vancouver Island in British Columbia that is believed to have produced tens of thousands of counterfeit candy bars containing cannabis and psilocybin.

A New York judge this week ordered the owner of an unlicensed cannabis retailer in upstate New York to pay $9.5 million for selling cannabis without a license.

California officials say the state’s cannabis enforcement task force has seized more than $191 million worth of unlicensed cannabis products, including 42,000 pounds of cannabis, since January.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) seized 700+ intoxicating hemp products banned under the state’s recently enacted hemp industry restrictions.

The West Virginia Supreme Court will soon hear the appeal of an individual who was denied access to medical cannabis due to being on probation.

California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce seized 2,652 illegally cultivated cannabis plants and “multiple bags” of illegal pesticides, the governor said on Monday.

Missouri officials announced a new joint task force aimed at reigning in the spread of “unlicensed psychoactive cannabis products” in the state.

California Attorney General Bob Ronta said police officers last week busted a retail burglary ring that targeted cannabis shops, leading to nearly two dozen arrests.

Police in Allen, Texas said this week they raided nine hemp product retailers after an investigation found they were selling products containing an illegal amount of THC. An attorney representing the stores called the raid an intimidation tactic and said his clients had been operating lawfully.

The DEA has scheduled a December 2 hearing to review expert opinions on the proposed rescheduling of cannabis to a Schedule III drug, adding a procedural step that could delay the process until after the November election.

California regulators recently destroyed hemp being grown in 22 greenhouses in Sutter County due to the presence of banned pesticides.

The Maine Public Utilities Commission has rejected a proposal to proactively report high electricity consumption to police; the proposal was meant to detect the unlawful cultivation of cannabis.

California officials with the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) recently seized more than 2.2 million illicit cannabis packages — many of which were packaged to resemble popular food and candy brands — during a recent sting operation in Los Angeles.

Police in Norwalk, Connecticut arrested a 21-year-old for allegedly selling cannabis products without a license; officers said some of the products tested positive for fentanyl.

State and city cannabis enforcement task forces in New York say they have shuttered more than 1,000 unlicensed cannabis operations since April under legislation signed into law this year by Gov. Kathy Hochul (D).

Police officers in Fairfield, California last month raided three indoor illegal cannabis grows and officials issued fines totaling $1,313,000 related to the enforcement actions. Meanwhile, state officials also recently took down multiple illegal outdoor grow sites located near two state parks.

The public comment period for cannabis rescheduling to Schedule III ends July 22, with over 37,000 submissions received so far.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent cease-and-desist letters to five companies selling hemp-derived THC products, accusing them of marketing to children by using packaging similar to mainstream, popular foods.