Oklahoma licensing regulators suspended nine medical cannabis businesses after untagged cannabis was allegedly found during a multi-agency operation in Muskogee County.
Five Emergency Orders of Summary Suspension were obtained and four search warrants were executed in a three-day enforcement action in April led by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) in partnership with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and Muskogee Police Department.
During the raids, officers seized approximately 32,000 cannabis plants, 2,000 pounds of harvested cannabis, more than $207,000 in cash and six firearms, OMMA said in a May 8 press release.
“OMMA is working hard every day to oversee the regulation of medical cannabis in Oklahoma. In order to achieve a well-regulated market that provides patients with access to safe cannabis products, we will continue shutting down bad actors one county at a time,” said OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry in the press release. “From dispensaries to processors to growers, we won’t stop until the only cannabis businesses standing are compliant and law-abiding.”
Licensed cannabis cultivators and retailers searched
OMMA completed 15 regulatory inspections and worked with the other agencies to investigate medical cannabis businesses suspected of administrative and criminal violations. All of the companies named in the suspension orders had active licenses with OMMA, according to the CRB Monitor licensing database. All but one also had active licenses with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (OBNDD).
Citing the emergency orders, OMMA said illegal product was found at the following businesses:
An Wen Inc. — On April 23, OMMA identified at least 26 large tote containers, three large plastic trash bags and eight packages filled with untagged and untraceable harvested cannabis. An Wen is a cultivator in Boynton, owned by Jinhe Chen, according to the CRB Monitor database
Oktaha Peter Farm Inc., Smith and H Partner and Smith and H Processing — On April 23, OMMA found untagged and untraceable harvested cannabis at properties shared by the three businesses. According to CRB Monitor data, all of them are located in Oktaha. Oktaha Peter Farm, owned by Fen Lin, and Smith and H Partner, owned by Zhong Shen Lin, Neng Jie Lin and Ying Qi, had active cultivator licenses with both OMMA and the OBNDD. Smith and H Processing has a manufacturing license only with OMMA.
Big Cheef Dispensary — On April 24, inspectors identified 41 plastic containers and bags of untagged and untraceable cannabis. Big Cheef, owned by Dernyell Antwyne Henry, has three licensed dispensary locations in Muskogee, Del City and Edmond, according to CRB Monitor data.
Primal Cannabis, Highbiz LLC and Bio Plants Cannabis — On April 24, OMMA identified 4,824 untagged and untraceable marijuana plants, 35 glass jars, 30 plastic bags, 20 large trash bags and 13 plastic totes containing untagged and untraceable harvested cannabis at the Muskogee locations shared by these three businesses. According to the CRB Monitor database, Primal Cannabis is a cultivator that does business as Third Eye Farms. It’s owned by Nesh Bakich. Highbiz is also a cultivator. No owner is listed in the database, but a gmail address includes the name Nesh. Bio Plants Cannabis is a licensed manufacturer/processor with OMMA, co-owned by Bakich and Raul Luna.
Oklahoma Xceptional Flower — On April 25, 15 bags containing untagged and untraceable marijuana, as well as pre-rolls in excess of what was reported in the state’s seed-to-sale tracking system, were found. The dispensary, located in Muskogee, is owned by Dominic Randall Walker, according to CRB Monitor data.
Second county-wide cannabis enforcement action
This is the second county-wide enforcement action led by OMMA. Five Kay County cannabis companies — Polar Lights, JN Green Grow, Dihow LLC, Zhang’s Farm and L&L Magic Grower — had been subject to searches and shutdowns in September.
In November, the OMMA cultivator license for JN Green Grow in Ponca City expired and its license with the OBNDD was inactive. As of May 8, all the other Kay County businesses still had active licenses.
Requests to the OMMA public relations manager for more information were unreturned.
