Oklahoma Narcotics Bureau Investigating 2,000 Potentially Illegal Grow Licenses

Recent reports from Tulsa World According to the Oklahoma Department of Drugs and Dangerous Goods (OBNDD), there are thousands of unlicensed medical marijuana businesses in the state. “Nearly 2,000 people are under investigation,” said his Mark Woodward, OBNDD’s public relations office. “We are working with our partners to identify the criminal networks involved.”

Woodward also comments that many of these licenses are linked to illegal activity. Most recently in December 2022 he had four deaths.”execution styleAt a cannabis growing facility in Kingfisher County, northwest of Oklahoma City. According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, the facility owner had a medical cultivation license, but OBNDD agents believe the license was obtained illegally.

According to Woodward, it is often foreigners who work in illegal cultivation sites. “The only thing it did was shed light on what we’ve been saying for the last four years.” woodward said“It’s the same violent criminal organization.”

He added that 200 operations have been shut down by local law enforcement so far, but the OBNDD is trying to trace the source of the criminal activity. We believe the medical cannabis industry in Oklahoma will continue to struggle. “What is less talked about is that the legitimate industry is bleeding,” added Woodward.

Last March, people posing as police officers carried out fake search warrants at a number of cannabis cultivation sites and stole £100 of cannabis, machinery, cash and mobile phones. At the time, Woodward commented on the attacks on the cannabis business because cannabis is still illegal by the federal government and forced to trade primarily for cash.

“On these farms, where there are often non-English-speaking Chinese workers, they don’t recognize traditional law enforcement,” Woodward said. high times“They don’t know much about what Oklahoma law enforcement is like, what uniforms look like, how fraudulent warrants look compared to legitimate warrants. These criminals rely on it, that’s why they targeted these particular farms, they use these workers to attack the farms and get their products I saw it as an easy opportunity.”

Tulsa World Some, such as District 3 Rep. Frank Lucas, and 20 other members of Congress, sent a letter July 2022, to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack regarding the purchase of land in Oklahoma by a foreign party. Foreign landholdings increased “from 2010 to 352,140 acres between 2010 and 2020,” according to the letter.

“We have been surprised by the increasing pace of Chinese companies buying US farmland in recent years. We want to make sure we have the reporting tools we need to give Americans the most complete picture possible.

In December 2021, there were 9,400 licensed medical cannabis growers. A year later, in December 2022, he 7,086 licensesThere is now a new licensing moratorium, which will come into effect in August 2022 and is expected to expire around August 2024.

Medical marijuana was voter-led legalized in 2018, but state low cost entry (Just $2,500 a year) Cannabis licenses have opened the door to out-of-state parties. House Bill 2179Then, in May 2022, the governor passed it, increasing annual membership fees based on facility size or clinic sales. According to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, this he won’t take effect until June 1, 2023.

Advocates are considering legalizing recreational marijuana in March, despite numerous attempts to crack down on illegal cannabis in Oklahoma. Gov. Kevin Stitt has set March 7 as the date for the special election, when voter initiative will emerge. If State Question 820 is passed, adult-use cannabis will be legalized, allowing the cultivation and sale of cannabis.

Oklahomans for Wise Marijuana Law said, “After all the delays caused by the new signature counting process, on March 7, 2023, so that Oklahomans can experience the benefits of the state’s question without further delay. I am happy to finally be able to participate in the vote.” Campaign Director Michelle Tilly. “He is grateful that the voices of the more than 164,000 Oklahomans who signed the petition and voted to legalize adult recreational marijuana in Oklahoma have been heard.”

Originally scheduled to be on the November 2022 ballot, the signatures submitted were not verified in time.