U.S. Senator James Lankford from Oklahoma has raised concerns about the alleged partnership between Chinese crime organizations and Mexican drug cartels to purchase farmland in Oklahoma for the cultivation and distribution of drugs such as marijuana. The Senator made this statement in a post on X.
"Chinese criminal organizations are buying up OK farmland and partnering with Mexican cartels to grow and distribute marijuana," said Lankford. "I'm leading the fight to stop it."
Between 2015 and 2021, the amount of land purchases by foreign companies or individuals increased by 300% in Oklahoma, more than any state other than Nebraska, according to KOSU. As of last year, Chinese individuals or entities owned 383,934 acres of land in Oklahoma, ranking it the 16th highest among foreign countries. The increase in foreign land ownership has led many states to propose laws restricting such acquisitions; since 2005, the acreage owned by foreign entities has tripled.
U.S. Senator James Lankford
| Public domain
According to Insight Crime, Chinese companies play a crucial role in Mexican drug trade, as they produce and export the precursor chemicals to Mexico needed to make fentanyl or methamphetamine. This collaboration is facilitated by sophisticated networks that exploit gaps in regulatory oversight and enforcement in both China and Mexico.
According to ProPublica, Chinese crime organizations are a powerful player in much of the illicit marijuana trade in the U.S., including in Oklahoma. Investigators have found that 80% of criminal groups that grow illegal marijuana in Oklahoma have Chinese origins. Oklahoma has legalized medical marijuana, and the barrier of entry to be in this field is relatively low, making it a prime target for foreign organized crime. This has led to other crimes, including a shootout between Chinese nationals at an illegal marijuana farm on Nov. 20, 2022 that led to the death of four people.
According to Ballotpedia, Lankford is a Republican U.S. Senator from Oklahoma who was first elected in 2014. He is on the Committee on Finance, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Committee on Indian Affairs, Committee on Ethics, and Committee on Intelligence.
