To go with AFP story by Romain FONSEGRIVES: "California overwhelmed by illegal cannabis farms"
Marijuana plants are found growing at an illegal cannabis farm during a raid by San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies in Newberry Springs, in the western Mojave Desert of Southern California on March 29, 2024. "Sheriff's Department! Search Warrant," shout armed officers as they enter a property in the heart of the Californian desert, where they soon find hundreds of illegal cannabis plants.
Marijuana was fully legalised in the state in 2016 following a public vote, in a move that proponents said would bring an end to a huge black market and the crime and nuisance associated with it.
In reality, the sector has boomed, with illegal growers tempted by the promise of fat profits for operators who don't have to worry about licences, standards and even paying for their water. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)