California authorities have seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis, valued at over $104 million, during a three-month enforcement operation aimed at dismantling organized criminal networks across the state. The crackdown, which ran from April to June, also led to the confiscation of 17 firearms, over $220,000 in cash, and 24 arrests, according to the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
During the enforcement period, authorities eradicated more than 89,000 cannabis plants. The largest enforcement operation occurred between May 14 and June 3, concentrating on illegal cannabis sites in Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. This multiagency effort, led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, involved serving 26 search warrants.
In Kern County, authorities seized more than 25,000 pounds of illegal cannabis, valued at $41.5 million, and destroyed 26,442 plants. Alameda County saw a seizure of over 14,500 pounds of illegal cannabis, worth more than $24 million. Investigators also identified environmental violations at 13 cultivation sites where banned or unregistered pesticides were found or suspected.
Since Governor Newsom established the state's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force in 2022, California has seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis, with an estimated value exceeding $1.3 billion. Officials noted that disrupting the illegal cannabis market involves more than just confiscating unlicensed products; it is about targeting criminal networks, removing illegal firearms, and preventing activities that endanger public safety.
Michele Hertel, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, stated that investigators frequently discover restricted pesticides at illegal grow sites linked to organized criminal enterprises. She highlighted that these toxic chemicals pose a risk to wildlife and consumers, as illegally grown cannabis is not subjected to safety testing.
During the extensive operation, authorities eradicated nearly 24,000 cannabis plants and destroyed approximately 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis from the sites targeted in Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties. 
