Estancia raid seizes 6,300 cannabis plants from illegal grow operation
New Mexico agents seized an estimated 6,300 cannabis plants from an illegal marijuana grow operation in Estancia on Thursday, authorities said. The Enforcement Bureau of the state Regulation and Licensing Department, working with the Organized Crime Commission, found the plants during a raid on a Torrance County farm. Agents discovered 21 greenhouses, each holding 300 fully mature cannabis plants, at the property.
The two agencies also recovered industrial-sized generators, water pumps, and storage equipment at the site. In a written statement, the Regulation and Licensing Department called the setup a “sophisticated operation.”
RLD officials said prosecutors are now reviewing the case to determine whether to file criminal charges. Investigators have not yet released the name of any suspect, business, or property owner tied to the farm.
The Enforcement Bureau handles complaints and investigations tied to licensed and unlicensed cannabis activity in New Mexico. After such a seizure, agents catalog evidence and forward the file to the district attorney for a charging decision.
Estancia is the county seat of Torrance County, a largely rural area of central New Mexico east of Albuquerque. Cannabis cultivation in the state requires a license issued by the Regulation and Licensing Department, and grows outside that system are treated as illegal.
Anyone with information about the Estancia grow can report tips to the RLD Enforcement Bureau through its complaint line.
