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Washington: US law enforcement agencies have seized over 100 homes in the Sacramento, California-area this week as part of a sweeping crackdown on a criminal marijuana-growing operation funded by China-based criminal groups.
In a two-day sweep that started on Tuesday, the Justice Department said hundreds of federal agents and local police executed search warrants at about 74 homes and two business offices believed to be used for marijuana-growing operations.
At the same time, the Justice Department filed civil forfeiture actions against 100 homes, a legal action allowing the government to confiscate assets if there is probable cause to believe a crime was committed.
McGregor Scott, right, the US Attorney For Eastern District of California, flanked by FBI Special Agent discusses the investigation that led to the law enforcement raids on illegal pot grows in roughly 100 Northern California homes.
Photo: APUS Attorney-General Jeff Sessions has made cracking down on illegal drugs one of his priorities since taking over the helm of the Justice Department last year.
Sessions, who has made no secret of his disdain for marijuana, in January ended an Obama-era policy that called on prosecutors not to prioritise bringing federal marijuana cases in states where it is legal.