WASHINGTON, D.C. (WABI) – Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is working to make sure illegal marijuana grow houses in Maine are on federal investigators’ radar.
Collins questioned both FBI Director Kash Patel and Drug Enforcement Administrator Terrance Cole at a hearing in Washington this week.
She said Maine could have close to 300 suspected grow houses, which produce billions of dollars in illicit revenue.
According to Collins, the feds have stepped up their involvement, helping track money laundering and providing interpreter services.
She asked Patel if the FBI knows where the money is going.
“The money always goes back into the drug trafficking trade, into the drug traffickers’ pockets,” Patel said. “And so we’re not seeing, I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, what we’re not seeing yet is the money directly being shipped back over to mainland China and the CCP from these grow house operations.”
“I would encourage you to even increase your efforts even more because this remains a huge problem in Maine despite the valiant efforts of our sheriffs and local law enforcement,” Collins said.
“Recently, with our Bangor, Maine, office, we’ve identified up to 250 potential locations where this is occurring,” Cole said. “So, this is ongoing cooperation with our state, local, tribal partners and our federal partners. We will continue to target, investigate, and bring them to justice.”
Cole offered to provide progress reports to Collins and her team.
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