OKLAHOMA CITY (March 21, 2023) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond praised state legislators today for approving a trio of measures aimed at addressing the rise of illegal marijuana grow operations in Oklahoma. The bills have passed their legislative chamber of origin and are now headed for the opposite chamber.
“Oklahoma’s illegal marijuana grow operations pose a serious threat to public safety, particularly in rural communities invaded by organized criminals from China and Mexico,” Drummond said. “As the state’s chief law enforcement officer, I am committed to working arm-in-arm with Oklahoma’s law enforcement agencies to deliver justice and restore peaceful order.”
The state has witnessed an explosion of marijuana grow operations in the aftermath of Oklahoma’s 2018 legalization of medical marijuana. While many marijuana grow businesses abide by the law, medical marijuana has been a Trojan horse for organized criminals whose illicit activities also include human trafficking, sex trafficking and distribution of deadly drugs like fentanyl. The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control estimates that nearly half of the state’s 6,299 marijuana grow operations are illegal.
The Attorney General noted that a number of other pending bills were drafted to assist law enforcement in this area.
“I am thankful the Legislature is working on many pieces of…
