“These are not minor medical marijuana violations where you pay a fine and move on,” he said.
OBN: newest illegal marijuana grow shutdown connected to others
Mike Seals - May 18, 2021 12:11 am
by: Katelyn Ogle
GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) – The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics seized 4,700 marijuana plants Monday morning at an illegal grow operation in Logan County. This is the third grow house busted by agents in less than a month that are all connected.
“It’s really impossible to know how widespread they’re network is,” said Mark Woodward with the OBN. “We don’t want them to see Oklahoma as a safe haven for their base of operations.”
RELATED: OBN agents shut down illegal marijuana grow operation in Logan County
OBN agents broke up another illegal grow in Guthrie on Monday morning, near East 750 Rd and North Midwest Boulevard right off I-35.
Agents said it’s one string in a web of illegal operations.
The first raid happened on April 23rd, just 7-miles south of Monday’s location, where agents seized about 1,100 marijuana plants. Woodward said that was the same day agents served a document warrant to the growers of today’s bust.
A couple of weeks later agents moved in on a grow in Erick and seized more than 100 plants.
“You’re talking millions of dollars of marijuana that can be produced very cheap here in Oklahoma,” Woodward said.
The OBN told News 4, these criminal organizations hide behind legal medical marijuana licenses.
“They’re thinking If they get their license in order and make it appear to be a legitimate farm, they can fly under the radar,” Woodward said. “But 100% of their product is being moved to the black market outside Oklahoma.”
Officials blame the state’s loose Medical Marijuana laws and low-cost land around the state.
“Our licenses are cheap and easier to get,” Woodward told News 4. “Our laws are less restrictive and our land is much much cheaper.”
Woodward said several suspects now face that carry a hefty prison sentence especially if the federal government investigates.
The OBN now warns of more stings in the future.
“This is just a drop in the bucket,” Woodward told News 4. “We’ve got many more similar cases and investigations that are going and this will by no means be the last place we visit.”
Agents have not named the suspects, but the OBN said they’ll at least face charges of cultivation and trafficking.
