Oklahoma task force seizes thousands of marijuana plants, cash and guns from illegal grow

Authorities raided an Okmulgee County marijuana grow operation last week, confiscating marijuana, guns and cash.

The Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force said that agents raided the grow and found 1,244 pounds of untagged marijuana, more than 3,000 marijuana plants, three firearms and $25,000 in cash. The raid occurred on Aug. 20.

No arrests were reported.

More: Oklahoma authorities seize more than 17,500 marijuana plants near Watonga

“We are continuing to send the message to drug cartels and crime syndicates that they need to get out of our state,” Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a news release. “We will continue to crack down on illegal grow facilities until they have all been shut down.”

Anyone with information about possible illegal marijuana grow activity can report it to the attorney general’s tip line at www.oklahoma.gov/oag . Reports can be anonymous.

Agencies collaborating with the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force in the Aug. 20 raid included the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma National Guard Civil Support Team and the Department of Homeland Security.

Chinese organized crime linked to black market

In recent years, state authorities have aggressively cracked down on black market cannabis, which also has brought violent crime and working conditions that resemble modern-day slavery to Oklahoma. A report by The Frontier and ProPublica showcased the story of Lin, a 44-year-old Chinese national who worked on a marijuana grow farm west of Tulsa.

More: Escaping Oklahoma: A worker’s story from inside an illegal marijuana operation

When Lin demanded he be paid his wages, a manager reportedly threatened him with an AK-47 rifle.

Authorities believe that Chinese organized crime groups took advantage of Oklahoma's new medical marijuana industry, which was launched without many of the restrictions found in law today.

Nevertheless, marijuana is still grown illegally in Oklahoma and shipped to other states. As recently as July, more than 100,000 illegal marijuana plants were seized at a farm near Ardmore . An Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control investigation had revealed that individuals were loading as much as 1,000 pounds of cannabis at a time into refrigerated tractor-trailers, which were then driven to New York, Chicago and Florida.

How Oklahoma is fighting back

Since Oklahoma voters approved medical marijuana in 2018, the laws governing the cannabis industry have changed significantly. Now, businesses are required to track every marijuana plant and product, along with every transaction. There are also safety requirements, including that every grow operation must pass inspection by the state fire marshal .

More: Growing pains: Oklahoma's medical marijuana industry struggles to keep up with regulations

The Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority is also more powerful and now has the ability to shut down businesses that don't comply with strict licensing requirements. These restrictions have led to complaints among legitimate marijuana businesses that have criticized the authority for being inefficient and not transparent .

Oklahoma also has placed a moratorium on new grower, processor and dispensary licenses until 2026. While new storefronts can open, the agency won't be approving any new licenses that could expand the industry.

Before the moratoriums were set, Oklahoma had issued more marijuana business licenses than any other state in the country. Even California had fewer dispensaries.

As of this year, according to Pew Research Center, Oklahoma still has the highest number of dispensaries per capita : About 36 storefronts for every 100,000 residents. The state currently has 3,338 active grow licenses, according to the medical marijuana authority.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma task force seizes thousands of marijuana plants, cash and guns from illegal grow