A New Mexico congressman is pressing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to account for what legal marijuana operators claim is a rash of seizures of state-regulated cannabis at Customs and Border Patrol checkpoints.
In addition to border crossings, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) maintains presences within the U.S., including permanent inspection stations along major highways in border states such as New Mexico.
Beginning sometime in February, at least a dozen shipments of state-regulated marijuana traveling north within the state have been intercepted at CBP inspection stations, licensed operators told MJBizDaily reporter Chris Roberts.
So far, there are no reports of any similar stops in neighboring border state Arizona or nearby California.
Though drivers are being released by the CBP without charges, the federal agents seize the cannabis, resulting in running losses in excess of “several hundred thousand dollars,” said Kai Kirk, managing partner of Las Cruces-based Head Space Distribution.
“It just seems like a whole line of cars is waved through, and then one of our guys gets pulled over,” Kirk said. “It creates a whole other level of stress for us.”
Read Chris’ story to learn how this situation got the attention of elected New Mexico officials, including U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, a former Las Cruces Councilperson, and how they’re dealing with it.