The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) and the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) today are releasing new data that reflects significant progress by both agencies to target and dismantle criminal organizations that have infiltrated the state’s medical marijuana program. Over the past four years, OBN Director Donnie Anderson says his agency has identified numerous transnational drug trafficking organizations that moved their black-market marijuana operations to Oklahoma, utilizing straw owners to illegally obtain a license to operate.
“By 2021, Oklahoma had over 9,400 licensed growers operating across Oklahoma,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson. “We’ve linked many of these farms to transnational criminal groups from Mexico, China, Armenia, Russia and other countries. Additionally, our investigations into these organizations uncovered evidence of other crimes including labor trafficking, sex trafficking, homicides, Ketamine trafficking, underground gambling operations and world-wide money laundering.”
“As the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing the medical marijuana industry in Oklahoma, we strive to ensure all OMMA licensees are compliant with state laws and regulations,” said OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry. “To that end, we’ve used data from the statewide inventory tracking system to identify numerous areas ripe for diversion. Since January of 2023, our investigations have yielded 1,314 administrative cases. We are incredibly grateful to our partners at OBN as well as law enforcement agencies across the state for their tireless efforts to combat the crimes that accompanied the legalization of the medical marijuana industry in our state.”
To address the criminal activity within the state’s medical marijuana program, both OBN and OMMA have enacted several aggressive initiatives unique to their agency’s mission and responsibilities. OBN created full-time Marijuana Enforcement Teams (MET) across Oklahoma to strategically target these illegal operations. Since 2021, OBN MET Agents have shut down more than 1,000 illegal marijuana farms, made more than 200 arrests, seized over 700,000 pounds of marijuana destined for the black market, and provided evidence resulting in indictments and arrests against individuals and entities that facilitated straw ownership structures to fraudulently obtain licenses for these criminal organizations. Additionally, OBN has implemented a more stringent review and background process for every person and entity applying for a new or renewed OBN Registration.
With the legislature’s support in 2021, OMMA was able to fully staff its compliance department and start up an Office of Investigations and Enforcement (OIE) to thoroughly investigate claims of illicit or non-compliant activity within the licensed market. The agency has completed almost 7,000 inspections and 4,600 operational status visits since becoming an independent state agency on November 1, 2022, seized nearly five tons of illicit cannabis and embargoed around 3,000 pounds and 71,200 plants. The addition of investigators and enforcement agents gives OMMA the opportunity to assist law enforcement across the state to investigate complaints and conduct search warrants. As with OBN, OMMA has implemented a rigorous license application review process to prevent bad actors from ever entering the state’s medical marijuana market.
As a result of these strategies by OBN and OMMA, Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program has seen a drastic reduction in the number of criminal organizations operating illegal farms in Oklahoma. OBN Registrations for growers dropped from 9,400 in 2021, to 6,400 in 2022, and today that number is down to approximately 3,200.
“Oklahoma’s marijuana program is no longer viewed nationally as the so-called ‘wild west of weed’. Oklahoma now has gained a proud reputation of having some of the most efficient and effective regulatory oversight and criminal enforcement of any medical marijuana state. The industry, itself, has expressed their support and appreciation for our combined efforts to
protect the legitimate businesses and drive out the black-market.” —OBN Director Donnie Anderson
“The state’s medical marijuana industry started in an unprecedented way allowing for a relaxed free market that resulted in a 64:1 oversupply in product. Through data-driven decisions, support and feedback from medical marijuana patients, industry leaders, partners across state government, and Oklahomans spanning the state, we are able to tackle the illicit operators and non-compliant licensees efficiently and effectively.” – OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry
OBN and OMMA wish to acknowledge the support of the Oklahoma legislature, Legislative leadership, and Governor Kevin Stitt and request their continued commitment to providing the necessary resources and funding to maintain this success.
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