At a recent hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned Attorney General Pam Bondi about federal efforts to combat illegal marijuana growing operations linked to Chinese criminal organizations in Maine. The inquiry took place during a review of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Senator Collins raised concerns over these illegal operations, which she described as involving transnational Chinese criminal organizations and potentially being connected to human trafficking and money laundering activities. She emphasized the need for increased federal support to aid state, county, and local law enforcement in tackling this issue.
Collins referred to a previous commitment from FBI Director Kash Patel regarding plans to direct more resources to Maine and enhance intelligence collection targeting these operations. "Could you provide me with an update on the deployment of federal resources so that our sheriffs, which have led the way, and our state and local law enforcement in Maine, get the help that they need?" Collins asked Attorney General Bondi.
Attorney General Bondi responded by confirming her engagement with various agencies on this matter: "One of the first things I did was meet with [FBI] Director Patel about that... But I can tell you that we are directly involved in many of those cases." Bondi assured ongoing investigations and committed to providing further briefings on their progress.
In addition to her recent inquiries, Senator Collins has been actively addressing this issue since 2022. She has sent letters requesting action from both the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and former U.S. Attorneys General. Her efforts have included questioning high-ranking officials at multiple hearings regarding connections between these grow operations and Chinese organized crime.
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