OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Oklahoma’s Attorney General is taking action against illegal marijuana grows, announcing the launch of a task force to combat the operations. 

“Our objective is to overtime, send this send very loud signal and clear signal that organized crime activity in Oklahoma will not be tolerated,” said Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond. 

Drummond said the grows are bringing in an alarming amount of crime into Oklahoma communities. 

“I recognized there was a huge invasion in Oklahoma,” said Drummond. “They’re distributing fentanyl and other opioids along with their illegally grown marijuana products across Oklahoma and across the United States.”

He adds human trafficking is also closely tied to these types of operations. 

The task force he’s launched works closely with the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. 

OBN’s Director weighed in on Wednesday:  

“I look forward to working with Attorney General Drummond and this Task Force to target and prosecute these criminal organizations embedded in the medical marijuana industry.  My agency has shut down more than 800 illegal marijuana businesses over the past two years.  But we have identified many more that need to be investigated.  This Task Force will enable our law enforcement community to adequately address the ever-expanding presence of criminal organizations attempting to hide behind a medical marijuana license.”  

Donnie Anderson, OBN Director

According to the A.G., based on intelligence, his office believes there are about 3,000 illegal grows across the state. 

“We are going to make it zero… In collaboration with the different law enforcement agencies across Oklahoma, we are closing on average one illegal grow per day,” said Drummond. “We need to accelerate that into the thousands so that we can give our children and grandchildren a compelling reason to remain Oklahomans.”

There’s also a new resource for anyone who has information about suspected illegal grows to report them. 

A complaint form is available at oag.ok.gov by clicking on the “Illegal Marijuana Tipline” tab. Tips also can be sent to illegalgrow@oag.ok.gov.