REDDING, Calif. — Congressman James Gallagher is urging the FBI to launch a coordinated investigation into large-scale illegal marijuana cultivation operations in Siskiyou and Shasta counties, citing concerns about suspected transnational criminal networks. In a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, Gallagher requested a joint federal effort involving local sheriffs, Homeland Security Investigations and EPA Region 9 to investigate and dismantle the operations.

Illegal marijuana farms have spread throughout rural Northern California, with properties increasingly covered by rows of makeshift plastic greenhouses known as “hoop houses.” Communities have reported dwindling water resources, safety concerns and possible contamination affecting agricultural land.

A Siskiyou County Civil Grand Jury report from 2022 estimated that approximately 5,000 large-scale illegal cultivation sites existed in the county. Subsequent reports have suggested that the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision alone could contain as many as 7,000 illegal growers, with potential annual production valued at up to $2 billion.

“We can’t stand idly by as these criminals poison our water, destroy our land, and threaten the safety of rural families,” Gallagher said. “These illegal marijuana grows are run by transnational criminal organizations, some with suspected foreign financing, and they have no place in Northern California. The FBI must act now to support our sheriffs and bring these networks to justice.”

Authorities have also discovered illegal marijuana cultivation on federal property, including within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement eliminated more than 332,000 illegal marijuana plants and confiscated over 54,000 pounds of processed marijuana during 2025.

In his letter, Gallagher expressed concern that Chinese organized-crime groups could be financing or directing some of the cultivation operations. Investigators have reportedly found properties owned by individuals who live outside the county, while people managing the sites locally do not necessarily own them. Gallagher also cited a 2018 federal investigation in the Sacramento area that uncovered an organized marijuana trafficking operation financed through wire transfers originating in China’s Fujian Province. The case involved straw purchasers and led to civil forfeiture proceedings involving more than 100 properties.

Officials are also concerned about pesticides reportedly used at illegal cultivation sites. Investigators have identified highly toxic chemicals, including products banned in the United States and pesticides with Chinese-language labeling that may have entered the country unlawfully. Siskiyou County investigators have documented more than 27 different pesticides at these locations. Some can produce dangerous fumes when burned inside enclosed spaces.

The county’s concerns led the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors to declare a local state of emergency on July 1, 2025. EPA Region 9 subsequently issued a directive calling for investigations into the illegal importation and distribution of pesticides.

Gallagher is asking the FBI to have its Sacramento Field Office and Redding Resident Agency coordinate with the Siskiyou and Shasta County sheriff’s offices and Homeland Security Investigations. He also wants the bureau to work with EPA Region 9 on investigations involving illegal pesticides and provide Congress with information about federal efforts to address the problem in Northern California.

“The State of California has repeatedly turned a blind eye to the billion-dollar black market marijuana industry that has wreaked havoc on both Siskiyou County and across California,” Siskiyou County Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue said. “From weak legislation that all but greenlights illegal cultivation, to ignoring the environmental devastation and labor trafficking caused by these illicit industrial-scale operations, it is clear the State is unwilling to adequately combat this criminal enterprise.”

LaRue said his department has made more than 800 arrests and destroyed over 2 million contaminated marijuana plants during the past five years. He warned that without additional assistance from state and federal authorities, illegal cultivation networks could continue expanding with little interference.

“This is why the involvement of federal agencies, including the FBI and EPA is urgently needed to disrupt the transnational criminal networks supporting these illicit operations across the United States,” LaRue said. “I commend Congressman Gallagher for elevating the issue of illegal marijuana cultivation and advocating for a stronger response to a crisis that continues to threaten California’s communities, natural resources, and public safety.”

Shasta County Sheriff Michael L. Johnson said his county supports Siskiyou County’s efforts to oppose illegal marijuana cultivation and the criminal organizations allegedly financing it. Johnson also expressed interest in working with the FBI to uphold private property rights and protect Northern California’s natural resources.