Senator Wilk Cracks Down on Illegal Marijuana Grows in the Antelope Valley

Senator Scott Wilk, Assemblyman Tom Lackey, California Attorney General Rob Bonta on a helicopter tour of the Antelope Valley - July 14, 2022
Senator Scott Wilk was joined recently by California Attorney General Rob Bonta on a helicopter tour of the Antelope Valley - July 14, 2022
Senator Scott Wilk was joined recently by California Attorney General Rob Bonta on a helicopter tour of the Antelope Valley - July 14, 2022
Senator Scott Wilk was joined recently by California Attorney General Rob Bonta on a helicopter tour of the Antelope Valley - July 14, 2022
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021
Illegal Marijuana Seizure in Antelope Valley - June 2021

“Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and illegal grows are an expanding problem in this state and region. To make matters worse, changes in public safety policies are now incentivizing these kinds of illegal activities within our state. These grows are illegal, dangerous, damaging to the environment, and have the effect of worsening drought conditions. We simply must do more to end the illegal market once and for all." - Senator Scott Wilk

Wilk Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Illegal Cannabis Grows in AV

Senator Scott Wilk was joined recently by California Attorney General Rob Bonta on a helicopter tour of the Antelope Valley for a firsthand view of the negative impact the proliferation of illegal cannabis cultivation sites has had on the community.

Working to bring more statewide awareness and cooperation to addressing the problem, Senator Wilk and Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) held a roundtable discussion with the Attorney General where law enforcement, city officials, representatives of water agencies, and the legal cannabis industry expressed their deep concerns and discussed how best to combat these grows. This tour represented another step that Senator Wilk has taken to forestall the rampant escalation of illegal grows throughout the state. Click here to read more about his efforts this year.

In 2021, with illegal marijuana grows becoming an almost unmanageable problem for local authorities in the High Desert, Senator Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) invited California Attorney General Rob Bonta to visit the region and see first-hand the growing public safety and environmental problems resulting from these unfettered grows.

Illegal Marijuana Grow Letter

Read Senator Wilk’s full letter inviting Attorney General Bonta to Senate District 21, here.

In the invitation, Senator Wilk points to the recent seizure of 74 tons of illicitly grown marijuana in east Los Angeles County in June 2021 as a reason why Attorney General Bonta needs to act immediately to identify additional resources to aid in addressing the increasing issues associated with illegal marijuana sites.

"Illegal marijuana grows are lucrative and have become prolific in California because of the state’s soft-on-crime policies. They have exploded in my area of Los Angeles County because the County’s new District Attorney has made it a point not to prosecute these types of crimes to the full extent of the law. This stance brings a major criminal element into otherwise safe communities, causes pollution from the illegal chemicals used in these grows, creates rampant water theft, and pushes legal, licensed marijuana farmers out of the marketplace."

In June, Senator Wilk supported Assembly Bill 195, which is a start for fighting the illegal cannabis industry. This measure expands the ability of local officials to go after illegal growers for water theft and water pollution, and supports the legal cannabis industry through restructuring the cannabis tax code.

Illegal growers contribute to so many of the major problems that California faces:

They divert and steal water from law-abiding farmers, worsening the already-intense drought conditions facing our food and water supplies;
Their disregard for environmental stewardship leads to deforestation, wildfires, and harmful pollution;
They push legal growers out of the market in a time where many citizens and businesses are already feeling the crunch of today’s economy;
Finally, illegal growers play a part in our state’s concerning trends in crime and are responsible for the murders of several members of the High Desert community.