Illegal grows in New Mexico linked with China

NEW MEXICO
Undocumented Chinese immigrants found working in NM weed farms

What happened: New Mexico state special agents discovered thousands of illegal cannabis plants and dozens of underfed, trafficked Chinese workers on a farm — Bliss Farm — in Torrance County, NM. 

The workers reported being trafficked, prevented from leaving, and unpaid. 

Back up: An issue that started in Maine… 

These trafficked workers are part of a new wave of migrants from China crossing into the US via Mexico. The migrants are looking for opportunities in the US after the COVID-19 global economic crisis. They often end up in cannabis farms due to the post-pandemic opportunities in the flourishing US cannabis market. 

An NPR investigation into New Mexico farms found many cannabis operations that are managed, funded by, and employ Chinese people. These businesses are eerily similar to the ones Sen. Susan Collins has pushed the federal government to crack down on in Maine — these are illegal operations allegedly run by Chinese cartels. 

Some of the businesses have run afoul of the law, even as states such as New Mexico have legalized. The persistence of these illegal operations continues to complicate the landscape for legal cannabis businesses.

What they’re saying: “They looked weathered,” said Lynn Sanchez, director of a New Mexico social services nonprofit, about the workers' condition. “They had burns, visible burns on their hands and arms… They looked very malnourished.” 

Director of New Mexico's Cannabis Control Division, Todd Stevens, described the farm as “a very disastrous grow” with numerous violations such as, “trash, water, fertilizers, nutrients, pesticides leaking into the ground.” 

A Bliss Farm worker highlighted the dire conditions, saying, “the farm said it would cover food and shelter, so you could save all your wages. But the farm was just a big dirt field.”

Why it matters: This situation underscores the severe exploitation within some sectors of the legal cannabis industry and highlights the broader issues of human trafficking and poor regulatory enforcement. 

Efforts to address human trafficking and improve regulatory oversight in the cannabis industry are crucial. 

What’s next: State authorities have revoked Bliss Farm’s license and imposed fines. The workers are seeking asylum in the US, and similar investigations are likely to continue to uncover and address such illegal operations.

-CB

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