Monterey County officials announced Tuesday that 18 tons of illegal cannabis were seized and destroyed recently.
The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office says it worked with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, county Public Works and other state and local agencies that make up the Monterey County Cannabis Enforcement Unit to conduct nine cannabis enforcement operations targeting unlicensed cannabis cultivations in the past 30 days across the county. Joint operations this year have targeted illegal cannabis cultivators, processors, distributors and unlicensed laboratories. The pot busts are ongoing as are investigations into previous busts.
The DA’s Office said one of the primary purposes of these enforcement efforts is to eliminate dangerous cannabis products from the black market.
The Monterey County Cannabis Enforcement Unit sends samples of the contraband pot to a licensed cannabis laboratory for testing using the same legal standards applicable to licensed retailers. The DA’s Office said that preliminary data shows that approximately 90% of illegal cannabis seized during these operations has failed official laboratory testing due to contamination. The DA’s Office said it will release the official results of the testing to the public later this year.
State law requires a series of laboratory tests to ensure product purity, potency and safety for legal cannabis. It is tested for over 100 contaminants, including pesticides, toxins, and heavy metals. Cannabis sold on the black market does not undergo testing and is more likely to be contaminated with mold, pesticides and other harmful toxins.
