California task force seizes $19 million in illegal cannabis during Bay Area raids
Oakland, California – Under a major crackdown on the illegal cannabis market, California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) has carried out activities resulting in the seizure of around $19 million worth of illegal cannabis and related goods. Announced by Governor Gavin Newsom, this operation included several raids in Oakland and Hayward, effectively underscoring the state’s determination to stop the spread of illegal cannabis businesses.
Governor Newsom praised the efforts of the task force.
“I’m proud of the recent work by our cannabis task force, seizing a staggering $19.2 million in illicit cannabis from across the Bay Area. These operations are imperative in both bolstering California’s legal cannabis market and protecting consumers from unregulated and dangerous products,” Gov. Newsom said.
Under the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Oakland’s operations produced the seizure of over 7,000 illegal cannabis plants valued at roughly $6.1 million, 1,200 pounds of processed cannabis flower worth roughly $2 million, 551 pounds of concentrated cannabis valued at $4.4 million, and 6,250 disposable vape cartridges, collectively valued over $41,000. The value of the seized goods in Oakland taken together came to $12.6 million.
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Along with Oakland Hazardous Materials Management (HAZMAT), Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), CDFW also found a hazardous CO2 and butane honey oil (BHO) laboratory during the raid. Because they extract concentrated cannabis using highly combustible compounds, BHO labs are especially dangerous as they pose great risk of explosion. Oakland HAZMAT and DTSC personnel safely destroyed the laboratory.
“This successful operation, led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, underscores the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce’s dedication to safeguarding public health, protecting the environment, and preserving the integrity of California’s regulated cannabis market,” said Nathaniel Arnold, Chief of Law Enforcement at CDFW. “Unlicensed operations like this not only undermine state law, but also endanger our fish and wildlife species, habitats, and communities.”
Simultaneously, an operation in Hayward led by the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), with support from CDFW, CDTFA, Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), led to the seizure of 4,018 pounds of illegal cannabis plants and processed flower worth approximately $6.6 million. Local code enforcement officials red-tagged the site and cut off the electricity as a preventative step to stop further illegal activity.
“UCETF continues to leverage the knowledge and experience of its partners to deliberately, and effectively, reduce the size of the unlicensed cannabis market,” said Bill Jones, Chief of Law Enforcement at DCC. “Being able to coordinate, and execute, operations of this size simultaneously is a significant advantage when targeting the illegal market.”
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The establishment of the UCETF by Governor Newsom in 2022 was a strategic move to align state resources better and enhance enforcement coordination among state, local, and federal partners. These enforcement actions aim to protect consumer and public safety, safeguard the environment, and reduce illicit revenue streams that benefit illegal operators and transnational criminal organizations, thereby supporting California’s legal cannabis framework.
