New Mexico regulators revoke the licenses of 2 marijuana grow operations and levies $2M in fines

By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico marijuana regulators have revoked the licenses of two growing operations for numerous violations and have levied a fine of $1 million against each business. The state’s Cannabis Control Division announced the revocations and fines Tuesday. Both operations are located in rural Torrance County, east of Albuquerque. One of the businesses — Native American Agricultural Development Co. — is connected to Navajo businessman Dineh Benally. He is among those being sued by Chinese immigrant workers who allege they were lured to New Mexico under false pretenses and forced to work long hours trimming marijuana on the Navajo Nation where cultivating the plant is illegal. Federal authorities raided that operation in 2020.