Law enforcement actions in California have pushed the amount of illicit marijuana seized past the $1 billion mark since last summer, state cannabis authorities announced Thursday.
The enforcement time line coincided with the merger of three state agencies into one new organization tasked with overseeing the entire marijuana market.
The agency also seized $2.3 million in cash since last summer, according to the release, and also recently awarded $20 million to several cities and counties to aid in setting up more legal marijuana stores.
The enforcement activities are part of a broader plan to bolster the legal marijuana market, Elliott noted.
The illicit cannabis industry in California has been a bane of legal operators for years because illegal sellers don’t pay state taxes or fees and, therefore, can undercut legitimate companies on price points.
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