As California Law Enforcement continues to shut down more black market operations, increasing human trafficking cases related to these operations rise criticism for reformation in cannabis regulations.
Conflict Between Trafficking Victims and Authorities
Although many workers who trim and cut the plants of these black market grows are victims of human trafficking, authorities report that they have been reluctant to being helped. Unlike other human trafficking victims who have been taken from their homes against their will, these people have gone on their own to seek a better life. Many of these victims do not admit to being trafficked or are unwilling to provide information about their traffickers.
Four months ago, nine suspected victims of trafficking were arrested during a morning raid in a secluded farm out in California’s Mojave Desert. All arrested workers were Chinese nationalists who had traveled from New York to seek a better life. When reviewing the job listings that enticed these workers, NBC News reported that some of these job ads were found on Chinese websites and did not discuss any wages or salaries, stating that it would be negotiated in person. All of these workers were formerly in the restaurant industry with little success. In the pursuit of the American Dream, these people felt as though they had no choice but to follow through with the recruitment with little to no money to their names.
Workers are Given False Hopes from Illegal Grow Operations
The hopeful workers quickly found themselves trapped as indentured servants. With their wages held above their heads, they were forced to work long hours and live in cramped, unkempt trailers located next to the illegal operation. Despite working in harsh conditions, the dream of going back home and reuniting with their family kept their drive to continue. With that in mind, it is no wonder as to why they would be reluctant to be arrested or help authorities with their investigations.
One worker who had left her 8 year old son in New York described her living conditions and where she slept to be “very dirty and messy.” Through further investigation, it was also found that her employer had lied about the job description, and had listed a completely different job description than what she had to do.
From these nine employees, 25 illegal greenhouses had been tended to with an estimated revenue of about $20 million annually. All of them did not admit to being trafficked, and have all been given misdemeanors and released. Sergeant James Roy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said it is common for people to deny being trafficked in worry of their own safety from the police and their employers.
Attorney Xiaosheng Huang who represents the victims states that his clients were presented with predatory job listings at a time when they were most vulnerable. During the pandemic, these victims were laid off from their former employers in the hospitality industry, which had began their downward spiral in seeking any employment they could find.
Authorities are Cracking Down on Illegal Grows
San Bernardino County law enforcement has shut down about 10,000 illegal marijuana operations, with over 8,600 of them being greenhouse grows. Between Los Angeles and Riverside County, the California Department of Cannabis Control (CDCC) reports that authorities have been able to seize over $1 billion worth of cannabis products
Nicole Elliot, the director of the CDCC, released in a statement mentioning their efforts combined with their local, state, and federal partners has allowed them to stop illegal activities that not only include the illegal sale of marijuana, but also other harmful acts such as water theft, threats of violence, elder abuse, and human trafficking.
Recreational Marijuana in California is Currently Unsustainable
Since the recreational legalization of cannabis in California as a result of Proposition 64 in 2016, the black market for marijuana has double downed on letting their presence be known, and has taken the market through not only the cheap labor from human trafficking, but also the lack of taxes imposed by the government. Recreational cannabis in California has proven to be futile in preventing the existence of black market weed. Prices in legal cannabis shops simply cannot compete.
Earlier this year, Governor Gavin Newsom removed the state cultivation tax on cannabis growers, leaving it up to counties to set their own taxes. Many industry players critique that this move was either too late or not enough.
Currently the supply of legal cannabis in California has outweighed the demand, dropping cultivation profits by over 70%.
Being the first state to legalize medical marijuana, California has always been ahead of the curve in cannabis reformation. That being said, there is still arguably a lot of changes that still need to occur in order to make regulation a more sustainable program.
