“Targeting illegal cannabis grow sites is dangerous but important work.  It helps to protect public property, visitors to State parks, and those conducting cannabis grows and operations legally.  We thank our state employed law enforcement officers for risking their own personal safety to protect lives, property and the State’s economy.”

CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

SACRAMENTO – On July 16, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that state law enforcement units conducted operations at state parks throughout California targeting illicit cannabis grow sites that endanger communities, the environment, and California’s legal cannabis industry, resulting in the seizure of more than 5,200 illegal cannabis plants and 14 illegal firearms, including three ghost guns and two assault weapons.

California Department of Parks and Recreation and the Governor’s UCETF, supported by the Department of Justice (DOJ), carried out the operations near the listed locations with the following results:

• Saddleback Butte State Park in Antelope Valley: 3,684 plants were destroyed at three different grow sites, weighing approximately 9,620 pounds. Eight firearms were seized, including two illegal ghost guns and two assault weapons.

• Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in Allensworth, CA: 1,572 plants weighing approximately 3,757 pounds were destroyed at two different grow sites. Six firearms were seized, including one illegal ghost gun.

 “California State Parks – the nation’s largest state park system – is responsible for protecting some of the state’s most valued natural and cultural resources,” said Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks. “Preventing environmental damage caused by illegal cannabis cultivation inside park boundaries and on adjacent private property is a priority for our law enforcement team. We thank our law enforcement partners who worked closely with our team to ensure a safe and successful outcome.”

Participating agencies included the:

• California State Parks
• Department of Cannabis Control
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife
• California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
• California Department of Justice
• U.S. Bureau of Land Management
• California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force
• Tulare County Sheriff’s Office 

“UCETF’s strategic and collaborative approach is important in maintaining the integrity of our state’s cannabis industry,” said Nicole Elliott, director of the Department of Cannabis Control, “The recent operation UCETF operation led by California State Parks underscores the taskforce’s strong commitment to protecting our environment and supporting the licensed cannabis industry in California.”