Golden State Today

A recent operation in Los Angeles led by the Governor’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce successfully seized over 2 million cannabis packages that were illegally marked with a forged California seal, undermining the safety and integrity of the state’s regulated cannabis industry. Much of the packaging resembled popular food and candy brands that could appeal to children, including items resembling Twinkies and Sweet Tarts.

Reinforcing California’s commitment to protecting children from illegal cannabis and safeguarding the legal cannabis marketplace, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that an operation led by his Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce (UCETF) seized more than 2.2 million illegal cannabis packages marked with the universal symbol of legal California cannabis.

The sting operation occurred in the Los Angeles Toy District, where much of the illegal packaging was designed to mimic popular food and candy items appealing to children. The taskforce also recently announced it had seized more than $120 million in illegal cannabis since January.

“California is committed to supporting our safe and legal cannabis market. We will not tolerate criminal activity that undermines the legal market, especially when it puts children at risk. This successful operation in the Toy District reinforces our commitment and sends a clear warning to criminals choosing to operate outside the safer legal industry,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

Led by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) and assisted by the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and the Employment Development Department, the operation focused on 11 storefronts in Los Angeles' Toy District. Numerous businesses were manufacturing and selling bulk packaging used in the illicit cannabis market to deceive customers and thwart state safety and quality regulations.

In this operation, UCETF seized 2,279,900 contraband packages. The taskforce separately seized 31 banker-sized boxes and garbage bags filled with illicit cannabis, as well as 32 boxes and bags of illicit cigarettes and tobacco products.

“This packaging provides a thin yet frightening veil of legitimacy for illicit operators,” said CDTFA Director Nick Maduros. “It violates the trust of California consumers who believe that the cannabis symbol signifies a certain product standard, enabling illegal operators to circumvent tax and licensing requirements.”

Cannabis goods must be labeled to ensure consumers are informed about what they are buying while preventing unintended use through child-resistant, tamper-evident packaging that is resealable if an edible product includes an opaque container with a universal symbol for cannabis.

“The operation in the Toy District represents an important new direction by UCETF to disrupt unlicensed cannabis sales. Illegal packaging is dangerous to consumers, especially when it rips off well-known brands attractive to children; it needs removal from marketplaces,” said DCC Director Nicole Elliott.

Governor Newsom has directed state agencies to aggressively target organized criminal enterprises involved in illicit cannabis markets. These schemes threaten California's legal market; using illegal pesticides harms environments while exploiting vulnerable workers at these sites often leads them into labor violations or human trafficking situations.

In 2022, Governor Newsom created UCETF aligning state efforts increasing enforcement coordination between state/local/federal partners protecting consumer/public safety safeguarding environments depriving transnational organizations' revenues harming consumers undercutting regulated markets since its inception seizing over $465 million unlicensed serving 309 warrants eradicating 470435 plants seizing150 firearms arresting38 individuals

To learn more about California's legal market licenses laws visit: [cannabis.ca.gov](http://cannabis.ca.gov).

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