DEA: Legalization Of Hemp Production ‘Further Challenged’ Law Enforcement
The 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp production at the federal level has further challenged law enforcement, a new report from the Drug Enforcement Administration states. The 2020 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA) is a comprehensive assessment of the threat posed to the United States by the trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs, the diversion and abuse of licit drugs, and the laundering of proceeds generated through illicit drug sales.
In a section dedicated to cannabis, the DEA reports that the challenges are of particular concern in states that legalized marijuana.
“Investigations in some states in which marijuana production is legal under state law have revealed a significant number of hemp businesses and grow operations that are owned and operated by members of DTOs (drug trafficking organizations) illegally producing and trafficking marijuana,” the report states.
The report claims hemp licenses can be used by growers to hide marijuana plants in their grows and that traffickers can use them as covers for their illegal operations.
“According to law enforcement officials, traffickers use their state-issued hemp documentation as cover for largescale marijuana grows and marijuana loads transported across state lines,” the report reads. “Additionally, large hemp grows are sometimes used to hide marijuana plants interspersed throughout the hemp plants.”
To read the full report, visit https://www.dea.gov/.