LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – More than 800 pounds of marijuana was seized by Metro from an illegal grow operation last night in a home near Alexander and Tenaya.
Metro says the bust is part of an active investigation and could not reveal if arrests were made there.
Black market marijuana is a big problem in Nevada despite legal cannabis being sold at dispensaries throughout the state. FOX5 is looking into the problem and the dangers of the unregulated drug and those who sell it.
From the Strip to Stateline, there are billboards that say, “Don’t gamble on safety. Buy legal cannabis.” Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board is behind the campaign, warning the public on the dangers of using illegal weed.
The CCB makes sure all marijuana sold legally in the state is safe and tested multiple times from seed-to-sale.
“We have a very robust legal market, we have 384 licensees,” shared James Humm, Executive Director of Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board.
The CCB estimates about a third of marijuana sales in Nevada are made on the black market.
“Without going through safety testing, illegal marijuana can be cheaper but there is no way to know if it is safe to consume,” Humm argued.
“We don’t know what they’re using to make it, and then you get people who are under the age of 21 purchasing it and that’s why we see a lot of the problems,” explained Lieutenant Jorge Marty with LVMPD’s Narcotics Section.
Lieutenant Marty says unregulated weed is often sold through social media to underage tourists and locals.
“That 15 to 19/20 year old range. That’s really where we see a lot of the illicit marijuana,” Lt. Marty reported.
About a fourth of the 25 officers in Metro’s Narcotics Section work on taking down illegal marijuana sellers.
“Our Narcotics Section goes out and does what we call buy busts, we go out and just try to find those single dealers,” Lt. Marty revealed.
Sometimes street dealers are connected to bigger, major criminal operations.
“It can come from anywhere, anywhere in the country, you don’t know who you are dealing with,” Lt. Marty contended.
When in doubt if you are buying from a legal seller, the Cannabis Compliance Board has a full list of active Nevada Cannabis Licensees and legal operators on its website.
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More than 800 pounds of marijuana was seized by Metro from an illegal grow operation last night in a home near Alexander and Tenaya. Read More
