During recent hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026 budget requests for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, Senator Susan Collins addressed concerns about illegal marijuana grow operations in Maine. The operations are reportedly backed by Chinese organized crime syndicates with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.
Senator Collins questioned Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem about federal efforts to assist state, county, and local law enforcement in shutting down these operations. "In August of 2023, DHS issued a memo in which the Department stated that it had identified more than 270 Chinese-backed illegal marijuana operations in the State of Maine alone," said Collins. She urged for more federal support, highlighting issues such as human trafficking and property damage caused by these operations.
Secretary Noem acknowledged the issue, stating, "I appreciate you bringing this to my attention... we should work together to see what we can do." She emphasized the importance of addressing foreign influence within U.S. borders.
FBI Director Kash Patel was also questioned by Senator Collins regarding the agency's strategy against these illegal activities. Patel responded by outlining steps taken since his appointment, including reprioritizing assets and intelligence collection related to these operations. "We have numerous new investigations open on just these matters alone," he said.
Senator Collins has been actively involved in addressing this issue since 2022 through various communications with federal agencies and officials. Her efforts include letters to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and former U.S. Attorney General urging action against these illegal grow houses.
