California Attorney General Bonta, Together with Local, State, and Federal Law Enforcement Partners, Announces Eradication of 774,829 Cannabis Plants and 106,141 Pounds of Illegally-Grown Cannabis Worth over $353 Million
October 23, 2024 – LOS ANGELES, CA – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, together with local and federal 
law enforcement partners, on Tuesday announced the eradication of 774,829 illegally cultivated cannabis plants and 106,141 pounds of processed cannabis, as well as 282 arrests in 36 different counties across California as part of Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC) program. The total underground market price for these seizures is valued at approximately $353 million. EPIC is an interagency task force focused on combating the illegal cannabis market, cannabis enforcement work, and investigating and prosecuting civil and criminal cases with a focus on environmental, economic, and labor impacts from illegal cultivation.
“California has the largest safe, legal, and regulated cannabis market in the world, but unfortunately illegal and unlicensed grows continue to proliferate,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “The EPIC program was forged out of our recognition of the need for a more comprehensive approach that addresses the broader implications of the underground cannabis market. This includes tackling the environmental damage caused by these illicit activities, as well as the economic ramifications that arise from unregulated cultivation. Furthermore, there is a growing concern about labor exploitation within this underground market, where workers may face unsafe conditions and unfair treatment. I want to express my gratitude to the various partners involved in this effort, including local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Together, we are working toward a solution that not only curtails illegal activities but also promotes a sustainable and equitable cannabis industry in the state.”
“California has the largest state park system in the country with 1.59 million acres of park land to protect," said California State Parks Law Enforcement Assistant Chief Jeremy Stinson. "Unfortunately, illegal cannabis cultivation is a serious threat to that land with more than 400 sites documented. California State Parks appreciates being a partner agency within EPIC to help address this issue. Protecting our state’s natural resources for all Californians and future generations is an important part of our mission. We look forward to continuing this valuable partnership to preserve and protect California’s state parks system.”
“California cannabis enforcement has a long way to go to ensure that the illicit cannabis doesn’t make it into the legal market," said San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. "Partnerships like EPIC are a major step forward in tackling this problem.”
During the 2024 season, our EPIC Task force seized nearly 881,000 pounds of illegally-grown cannabis.
— Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) October 22, 2024
We're tackling the environmental damage caused by illegal cannabis grows and working towards a solution that promotes a sustainable and equitable industry in the state. pic.twitter.com/PWD6vvv7bd
Over the course of the 2024 season, EPIC teams operating in Northern, Central, and Southern California, conducted 665 operations, recovered 201 weapons, and removed infrastructure, including dams, water lines, and containers of toxic chemicals, such as carbofuran, methyl parathion, aluminum phosphate, zinc phosphide, and illegal fertilizers. Carbofuran, in particular, poses untold risks to public health. A lethal insecticide that is effectively banned in the United States, carbofuran remains on plants after application and seeps into soil and nearby water sources.
In 2024, EPIC operations were conducted in the following 36 counties:
- Alameda: 1 site, 751 plants eradicated
- Butte: 5 sites, 4,397 plants eradicated
- Colusa: 3 sites, 10 plants eradicated
- Contra Costa: 2 sites, 5,010 plants eradicated
- El Dorado: 8 sites, 2,174 plants eradicated
- Fresno: 31 sites, 52,796 plants eradicated
- Glenn: 1 site, 747 plants eradicated
- Kern: 60 sites, 89,819 plants eradicated
- Kings: 1 site, 539 plants eradicated
- Lake: 48 sites, 42,776 plants eradicated
- Lassen: 1 site, 7,359 plants eradicated
- Los Angeles: 3 sites, 3,684 plants eradicated
- Madera: 3 sites, 1,230 plants eradicated
- Mariposa: 2 sites, 1,368 plants eradicated
- Mendocino: 116 sites, 133,702 plants eradicated
- Nevada: 33 sites, 28,428 plants eradicated
- Riverside: 79 sites, 136,601 plants eradicated
- Sacramento: 13 sites, 46,042 plants eradicated
- San Bernardino: 23 sites, 27,845 plants eradicated
- San Diego: 7 sites, 9,301 plants eradicated
- Santa Barbara: 1 site, 362 plants eradicated
- Santa Clara: 2 sites, 1,012 plants eradicated
- Shasta: 67 sites, 51,289 plants eradicated
- Siskiyou: 98 sites, 67,943 plants eradicated
- Stanislaus: 6 sites, 5,103 plants eradicated
- Trinity: 38 sites, 32,381 plants eradicated
- Tulare: 7 sites, 5,468 plants eradicated
- Tuolumne: 2 sites, 7,637 plants eradicated
- Ventura: 3 sites, 7,891 plants eradicated
- Yuba: 2 sites, 1,164 plants eradicated
- Monterey: reconnaissance only
- Napa: reconnaissance only
- San Benito: reconnaissance only
- San Luis Obispo: reconnaissance only
- Santa Cruz: reconnaissance only
- Solano: reconnaissance only
The EPIC program focuses on the investigation and prosecution of civil and criminal cases relating to illicit cannabis cultivation with a focus on environmental and economic harms and labor exploitation. EPIC is a multi-agency collaboration led by DOJ in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service; the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife; the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration; the California National Guard, Counter Drug Task Force; the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program; California State Parks; California Environmental Protection Agency; and other local law enforcement departments.
Bad actors skirt our legalized cannabis marketplace for only one reason: to turn a bigger profit.
— Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) October 22, 2024
Together, we’ll continue to shine a light on this underground market, until we put a stop to this criminal activity for good. pic.twitter.com/jkL4erIY4x
EPIC marks an evolution in DOJ's cannabis enforcement work, reflecting the issues and concerns arising from operations each summer. EPIC works in close coordination with DOJ’s Cannabis Control Section, Special Prosecutions Section, and Tax Recovery and Underground Economy (TRUE) Task Force to build investigations and prosecute civil and criminal cases.
B-roll of the operations produced by DOJ are available for use by producers and members of the media. Please contact agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov.
Graphics of 2024 EPIC season statistics are available here.
Source: CA DOJ
