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October 31, 2019
OLCC Inspectors Instrumental in Discovery of Illegal Marijuana Oil Processing Operation in Lane County
Portland, OR -- The Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s compliance and enforcement team was instrumental in the dismantling of an illegal marijuana processing site by local, state and federal law enforcement last week in rural Lane County. The illicit extraction operation was detected by OLCC inspectors at an out-of-compliance Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) medical grow site.
The Oregon State Police (OSP) Northwest Region Marijuana Team executed a search warrant at a property near Dexter, which resulted in the confiscation of approximately 216 pounds (100,000mL) of cannabis extracts, two butane hash oil extraction machines valued at $120,000, as well as ten firearms. Also seized were items relating to the manufacture and sale of counterfeit vape cartridges.
Inspectors from the OLCC OMMP Marijuana Tracking Program were making a proactive check on the Lane County location which had been registered as an OMMP (GSA) grow site. Upon discovering the suspicious marijuana processing operation OLCC inspectors notified OSP.
The illegal extraction was taking place in a makeshift outdoor structure with unsanitary conditions; it was not licensed to process cannabis by the OLCC, OMMP, or the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Program.
“The good work of our inspectors and swift action by Oregon State Police has closed down a dangerous medical grow operation,” said Steve Marks, OLCC Executive Director. “The fact is, it is still too easy and lucrative for these medical growers to jeopardize their patients by diverting patient controlled marijuana products to the illegal market.”
The OLCC does not license medical cannabis grow sites in Oregon. However, the Oregon Legislature authorized the OLCC beginning July 1, 2018 to inspect OMMP grow sites with three or more patients (13 or more plants.) OMMP Grow Site Administrators (GSAs) that meet that plant threshold are required to use the state’s Cannabis Tracking System (CTS.)
OSP was assisted in the seizure action by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Eugene Resident Office, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, and the OLCC. Criminal charges against two individuals have been forwarded to the Lane County District Attorney’s Office. See the OSP press release.
The OLCC maintains working relationships with Oregon public safety officials through on-going interaction between OLCC regional offices and local law enforcement. An OSP marijuana crime investigative team is also co-located in the OLCC Medford regional office.
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For additional information, contact:
Mark Pettinger at 503-872-5115
Spokesperson, Recreational Marijuana Program
mark.pettinger@oregon.gov
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