Company vows to sue over damages after New Mexico authorities destroy cannabis crops

Date:

Share post:


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — State police have destroyed tens of thousands of pounds of marijuana plants at greenhouses in northwestern New Mexico, marking what regulators say is the largest seizure and destruction of cannabis in New Mexico since new possession and cultivation laws took effect in 2021.

Authorities announced the operation Monday, saying dozens of agents were assigned to eradicate the plants in October. The state Cannabis Control Division had started the process of revoking the license of NNK Equity LLC, having filed a noncompliance order and a default order earlier this year.

The company was accused of not posting its licenses on site, failing to obtain water rights for cultivation, not having cameras that could monitor certain areas of its operation and violating sanitation and health requirements.

“The organization involved showed a blatant disregard for the laws of this state and we will prove that once this investigation is over,” New Mexico State Police Chief Troy Weisler said in a statement.

Jacob Candelaria, an Albuquerque attorney who represents NNK Equity, disputed the state’s claims and accused regulators and state police of violating his client’s civil rights. He said the state failed to properly serve notice of its intent to revoke the company’s license and subsequently denied a request for a hearing on the merits of the case.

He said clients Irving Lin and Bao Xue speak Mandarin Chinese and have limited ability to understand the written English language. Lin asked for a Chinese translation, but the attorney said regulators did not respond to his request.

The Cannabis Control Division stated in filings related to the case that it complied with notice and hearing requirements and had afforded the company its due process rights.

The company plans to ask a state district judge to set aside the order revoking the license and to order state regulators to hold a hearing, Candelaria said. He added that NNK Equity also plans to sue the state for destroying what he said amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars of private property.

“The idea that law enforcement officers can destroy public property based upon a temporary restraining order — which can be entered without notice to all parties and before a hearing on the evidence — which was the case here, should concern all of us who believe in the Constitution.”

According to state regulators, NNK Equity was issued a license in December 2023 for a marijuana growing operation at a property in Waterflow, a rural area on the edge of the Navajo Nation and just south of the Colorado border. The region also made headlines earlier this year when state regulators cracked down on two other operations and Navajo Nation authorities ended up filing their own charges against two tribal members.

In the latest case, the Cannabis Control Division conducted a compliance check in June and determined that NNK Equity had exceeded its allotted plant count. The New Mexico State Police Special Investigations Unit was brought in and later found plants at a second location that was not licensed.

The violations outlined by state regulators also involve transportation and tracking requirements, which include assigning identifying numbers to each plant.



Source link

Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden
Lisa Holden is a news writer for LinkDaddy News. She writes health, sport, tech, and more. Some of her favorite topics include the latest trends in fitness and wellness, the best ways to use technology to improve your life, and the latest developments in medical research.

Recent posts

Related articles

Boeing factory workers vote to accept contract and end more than 7-week strike

SEATTLE -- Unionized machinists at Boeing voted Monday to accept a contract offer and end their strike...

Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed after Wall Street drifts ahead of US Election Day

NEW YORK -- Shares were mixed in Asia early Tuesday after U.S. stock indexes drifted lower a...

A courtroom of relief: FBI recovers funds for victims of scammed banker

WICHITA, KANSAS -- Sobs of relief broke out in a federal courtroom in Kansas on Monday as...

A former Six Flags park is finally being demolished after Hurricane Katrina's devastation

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans' former Six Flags theme park, which shuttered in the wake of Hurricane...

You may have blocked someone on X but now they can see your public posts anyway

Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can...

China files complaint at World Trade Organization over EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles

FILE - European Executive Vice President and Commissioner for Economy and Trade Valdis Dombrovskis speaks during a...

US agency ends investigation into Ford engine failures after recall and warranty extension

DETROIT -- The U.S. government's auto safety regulator has ended a 2 1/2-year investigation into Ford engine...

If you want to stretch your gift game into days this holiday, check out these advent calendars

The advent calendar phenomenon is growing every year, with so many exciting, fun, beautiful, and delicious options...