California authorities have seized or destroyed more than 139,000 pounds of illegal cannabis worth more than $230 million so far this year, Governor Gavin Newsom announced. The enforcement action, carried out through the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force, also resulted in the eradication of 236,846 cannabis plants through September 2026.
The task force, established in 2022 to coordinate enforcement across state, local and federal agencies, targets illegal operations that threaten public safety, damage natural resources and undermine California's regulated cannabis industry. Since its creation, the task force has seized or destroyed an estimated $1.47 billion in illicit cannabis, along with 896,514 pounds of product and 1,441,826 plants eradicated.
Enforcement efforts have uncovered hazardous conditions associated with large-scale illegal cultivation, including suspected organized criminal activity, illegal water diversions, hazardous pesticides, utility theft, electrical bypasses and fire hazards. Investigators also identified indicators of potential labor exploitation during one investigation.
In the third quarter of 2026, between July and September, coordinated operations resulted in 55,308 pounds of illicit cannabis seized or destroyed, 108,226 plants eradicated and more than $91 million in estimated value removed from the market. The operations also resulted in 14 arrests, nine firearms confiscated and $29,215 in cash seized, with enforcement activity across nine counties.
In Alameda County, authorities seized more than 19,300 pounds of illicit cannabis and eradicated more than 38,500 plants during operations targeting indoor cultivation sites in Hayward and Oakland. In Los Angeles County, a three-day enforcement operation in the Lancaster area resulted in approximately 16,760 pounds of illicit cannabis seized and more than 33,000 plants eradicated. In Mendocino County, multiple coordinated operations resulted in more than 4,400 pounds of illicit cannabis seized or destroyed and nearly 7,000 plants eradicated.
"Large-scale illegal cannabis operations are inherently unsafe for our communities and can be incredibly damaging to California's ecosystems," said Meghan Hertel, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The task force brings together state and local agencies with expertise in law enforcement, cannabis regulation, environmental protection, taxation, labor standards and emergency response to investigate related violations involving environmental damage, illegal water use and potential tax evasion.