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Jul 8, 2026

California continues illegal cannabis crackdown, seizing more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis in three months

What you need to know: California's coordinated enforcement operations have seized more than 841,000 pounds (420 tons) of illicit cannabis valued at more than $1.3 billion. In three months, partners seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth over $104 million, eradicated more than 89,000 cannabis plants, confiscated firearms, and disrupted organized criminal operations across 10 counties.

SACRAMENTO – Highlighting the state's continued efforts to dismantle illegal cannabis operations tied to organized crime, environmental destruction and threats to public safety, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced new results from California's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF).

Since Governor Newsom established the task force in 2022, the state has seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis valued at more than $1.3 billion. During coordinated enforcement operations conducted between April and June 2026, state and local partners seized more than 63,000 pounds of illegal cannabis valued at over $104 million, eradicated nearly 90,000 cannabis plants, confiscated 17 firearms, and made 24 arrests.

Illicit cannabis plants found during a UCETF operation in unincorporated Los Angeles County in May

Disrupting the illegal cannabis market is about more than seizing unlicensed products – it's about taking on criminal networks, removing illegal firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals, and stopping activity that threatens public safety. Through strong multiagency collaboration, California is making clear: if you threaten our communities, we will act.

Governor Gavin Newsom

The coordinated operations focused on illegal cannabis cultivation and distribution associated with environmental damage, illegal firearms, hazardous pesticides, labor exploitation, and organized criminal activity.

April, May, June actions by the numbers

• 63,204 pounds of illegal cannabis destroyed, including 89,257 eradicated cannabis plants, some of which had been treated with unregistered toxic pesticides
• 24 arrests made
• 17 firearms confiscated
• $220,923 in cash seized
• Enforcement activity spanned 10 counties

Major multicounty operation

The largest enforcement action took place between May 14 and June 3 in the southern Central Valley and northern Antelope Valley. Led by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the multiagency operation served 26 search warrants at illicit cannabis sites across Tulare, Kern, and Los Angeles counties.

Investigators discovered numerous environmental violations, including 13 cultivation sites where banned, unregistered, or foreign-labeled pesticides were found or suspected. Officers eradicated nearly 24,000 cannabis plants, destroyed nearly 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis, documented Fish and Game Code violations, seized cash, and arrested or cited multiple individuals.

The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), California State Parks, State Water Quality Control Board Office of Enforcement, Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, Kern County Sheriff's Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department and Tulare County Sheriff's Office supported the operation.

Top five counties by enforcement impact

County	Cannabis Destroyed (lbs)	Estimated Value	Plants Eradicated
Kern	25,122	$41.5 million	More on TelAve News ENTOUCH Named Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces in North America for Third Consecutive Year Pulse Wave is where moments become movements Michigan's Plane Crash Data Points Away from Big Airports 2iG Solutions Launches MGA Insight, Bringing AI-Powered Business Intelligence to Managing General Agents A Better Way to Find a Real Estate Agent Is Coming Soon 26,442
Alameda	14,682.14	$24.2 million	23,428
Butte	6,748	$11.1 million	13,496
Los Angeles	4,704	$7.8 million	9,257
Stanislaus	3,693.5	$6.1 million	1,649

"Illicit cannabis cultivation continues to pose threats to the environment and public safety that we take very seriously," said CDFW Director Meghan Hertel. "UCETF partners found a wide range of violations and concerns during their operations this spring—among them, restricted pesticides that we frequently see at grow sites associated with organized criminal enterprises. These toxic chemicals are harmful to fish and wildlife and the habitats they depend on to survive, and they're a threat to consumers, who could purchase cannabis that was illegally grown, processed and sold and hasn't been tested for safety."

Images from the inside of an illicit indoor cultivation site taken during a UCETF operation in Riverside County in April

Other notable operations

Additional state-led operations throughout the quarter uncovered significant indicators of organized criminal activity and environmental crimes across Riverside, Los Angeles, Butte, and Ventura counties.

Among the most significant:

• Riverside County: State and local partners dismantled an illegal indoor cultivation operation, seizing about 1,395 pounds of illicit cannabis products and 2,415 cannabis plants, with an estimated retail value of $2.3 million. Authorities identified hazardous environmental conditions that led local officials to red-tag the structure as well.
• Los Angeles County: Officers served 12 search warrants, eradicated more than 7,000 cannabis plants, recovered processed cannabis and suspected methamphetamine, and discovered the highly toxic pesticide methamidophos at two cultivation sites.
• Butte County: Officers seized nearly 13,500 cannabis plants, two firearms, and evidence of organized criminal activity while documenting numerous environmental violations. Two arrests were made.
• Ventura County: Following a monthslong investigation, officers executed search warrants at nine locations, recovering nearly 6,000 cannabis plants, processed cannabis, illegal drugs, 17 firearms – including an assault weapon – and more than $205,000 in cash. Fourteen people were arrested.  

Additional partners supported UCETF operations throughout the quarter, including the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, the California National Guard, the Employment Development Department, the Hayward Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, and numerous other agencies.

"These continued efforts protect the health and well-being of California's communities, our economy, and the licensed cannabis market," said DCC Director Clint Kellum. "We must keep enforcement pressure on illegal operations that pose risks to consumers and undermine the progress of the regulated industry. Through the work of UCETF, California is leading the way in cracking down on the illicit cannabis market, making sure that consumers are safe and the legal cannabis industry remains strong and supported."

About UCETF

Governor Gavin Newsom established the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force in 2022 to strengthen coordination among state, local, and federal agencies combating California's illicit cannabis market. The task force is co-chaired by the Department of Cannabis Control and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and coordinated by the Governor's Office of Emergency Services.

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Since the task force's inception in 2022, UCETF-coordinated operations have seized and destroyed more than 841,000 pounds of illicit cannabis (including 1.3 million plants), valued at over $1.3 billion, through more than 750 search warrants across 29 counties. Task force efforts have also led to 100 arrests and the seizure of more than $2.8 million in cash and over 250 firearms.

To learn more about the legal California cannabis market, state licenses, and laws, visit cannabis.ca.gov.

To learn how to recognize and report illegal cannabis cultivation on public lands in California, see CDFW's fact sheet.

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