At a recent hearing to review the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Justice, Senator Susan Collins questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about federal support for combating illegal marijuana growing operations in Maine. These operations are reportedly linked to transnational Chinese criminal organizations.
Senator Collins expressed concerns over the proliferation of these illegal grow operations, which she described as producing tainted marijuana and being potentially involved in human trafficking and money laundering activities. She highlighted the need for increased federal resources to assist state, county, and local law enforcement in addressing this issue.
Attorney General Bondi acknowledged the problem and stated that she had met with FBI Director Patel, DEA, and ATF regarding these concerns. “I thought you were going to receive a briefing on that,” said Bondi. “If not, we will make sure you receive one in a classified setting.” She assured Senator Collins that active investigations are ongoing.
In response to constituents’ concerns raised in 2022, Senator Collins has taken several actions including sending letters to various agencies urging them to address illegal growing operations. Her efforts have included questioning former FBI Directors and other officials about their support for local law enforcement dealing with these issues.
The situation remains under scrutiny as investigations continue into the connection between these illegal grow operations and organized crime groups from China.
