California Seizes $53 Million in Illegal Cannabis Products in 3 Months

From January through March, law enforcement also destroyed 54,000 plants, a boon to the legal market, the governor says.

The state's crackdown on illegal marijuana is intended to help the legal market. Above, customers shop for marijuana products at a store in Santa Ana, Calif., on Feb. 18, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

California law enforcement agencies seized an estimated $53.62 million in cannabis products and destroyed around 54,000 illegal plants in the first quarter of 2024, according to a recent press release by the governor’s office.

“California is home to the largest legal cannabis market in the world. As we continue to cultivate a legal marketplace, we’re taking aggressive action to crack down on those still operating in the shadows,” Gov. Gavin Newsom stated in the April 11 press release.