Oct. 15—The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics served search warrants at nearly a dozen marijuana farms across Oklahoma in the past two weeks, according to a press release, including one in Pontotoc County.
“(OBN) is investigating and dismantling criminal organizations operating within the state’s medical marijuana program,” the release read.
Agency Spokesman Mark Woodward said it is another phase in OBN’s on-going focus to aggressively target criminals hiding within the state’s medical marijuana program.
“For over two years, OBN has identified numerous individuals and organizations that have moved to Oklahoma from out-of-state and used fraudulent business structures and so-called ‘ghost owners’ to obtain their Oklahoma Medical Marijuana licenses,” Woodward said. “These criminals try to blend into our state’s medical marijuana program while trafficking marijuana onto the illicit market around the United States, laundering money and moving millions of dollars in illicit drug proceeds overseas.”
Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 7, OBN executed search warrants at 10 marijuana cultivation businesses and one residential location in Canadian, Cleveland, Garvin, Kay, Okfuskee, Payne, Pontotoc and Seminole counties, according to the release.
Pontotoc County Sheriff John Christian said PCSO assisted OBN agents during one raid at a residence located on County Road 3425, north of state Highway 59A.
“During all the raids, a total of 79,157 illegally cultivated plants were seized, along with 3,139 pounds of processed marijuana and 16 firearms,” Woodward said. “So far, 20 people have been arrested with more arrests expected as these investigations continue.”
Woodward said the targets of the investigations face a variety of charges
including drug trafficking, aggravated manufacturing, unlawful cultivation, and acquiring proceeds from drug activity.
As of Friday, no Pontotoc County residents involved in the raid had been charged in district court.
“As these investigations continue across Oklahoma, we plan to focus on criminal growers and business owners, as well as the entities that helped facilitate the fraudulent documentation allowing these criminal organizations to get an Oklahoma Medical Marijuana license,” Woodward said.
OBN Director Donnie Anderson said more of the large-scale law enforcement operations are planned as the agency continues to investigate criminal cultivators around the state.
“We are making it very clear that Oklahoma is not a safe harbor for criminals who think they can hide behind a medical marijuana license,” Anderson said. “My agency is committed to aggressively targeting and dismantling these marijuana trafficking organizations that are attempting to gain a foothold in our state.”
OBN was assisted by numerous sheriff’s departments, police departments, drug task force officers, county commissioners and county workers. Anderson said he is particularly grateful to the Oklahoma National Guard which provided personnel and heavy equipment to assist with the eradication and disposal of plants during the operations.
“The Oklahoma National Guard’s hard work and support was crucial to the success of this operation,” he said. “Their equipment and personnel save us time and effort that enables OBN to continue investigations that will have a positive impact on Oklahoma.”
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