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Since 2018, the Santa Barbara County Cannabis Program and Enforcement Team confiscated almost $300 million in marijuana products from 58 enforcement actions. Mona Miyasato, the County Executive Officer, submitted a letter to the Board of Supervisors providing an update on the county’s cannabis program including its ongoing enforcement efforts.
Santa Barbara County continues to vigilantly bring enforcement actions against illegal cannabis operations. The Enforcement Team includes members of the Agricultural Commission Office, Planning and Development, and staff from the Sheriff’s Department. The multi-functional team brings land use, compliance, and criminal enforcement actions.
During the first quarter, the Planning and Development Department opened 21 new enforcement actions and responded to 271 cannabis complaints, most of which resulted from odor complaints in Carpinteria.
The Sheriff’s department initiated 12 new enforcement efforts against unlicensed cannabis businesses that resulted in 4 arrests and the destruction of $5.4 million in illegal marijuana products. The Sheriff’s team also dismantled two butane hash oil laboratories
Santa Barbara County increased its funding and staffing for the Cannabis Enforcement Team, which now has 13 full-time employees. The county is funding the enforcement effort with taxes collected from operating cannabis businesses. Santa Barbara received $2.8 million from 34 licensees in the first quarter.