CDFW Wildlife Officers assigned to the Cannabis Enforcement Program (CEP) often conduct investigations into illicit cannabis cultivation sites. When bringing these cases to prosecutors, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) analysis of the confiscated cannabis plant samples is often required prior to filing charges against suspects. Additionally, many of these cannabis cultivation sites use illicit pesticides with foreign labels. Using these pesticides is often a felony. Pesticide analysis is needed to identify the type of pesticides and if the pesticides were used on cannabis plants. Pesticide analysis must be conducted to support charges in court. The Contractor must be able to provide quantitative THC and pesticide analysis of cannabis plant samples and pesticide product samples. Since these samples often serve as the key evidence in criminal proceedings, it is critically important for CEP to have expert testimony available from the Contractor to explain their methodologies and support their testing results in court.
