143,000 illegal THC products seized in statewide trafficking investigation, Pennsylvania authorities say

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General on Monday revealed the massive scale of a narcotics trafficking operation involving an alleged illegal THC pipeline, in which suspects are accused of moving thousands of products and millions of dollars.

A nearly two-year investigation has led to 12 people being charged.

"We're announcing today serious charges against these 12 individuals, all part of a network to distribute and profit from sales of these illegal products," Attorney General Dave Sunday said at a press conference.

More than 143,000 suspected illegal narcotics products were seized from three warehouses across Pennsylvania, with more than 11,000 seized from a single warehouse in Plum, Allegheny County.

The grand jury says an informant and undercover officer made controlled buys at the Plum warehouse, purchasing THC gummies, vape cartridges and pre-rolled marijuana joints.

Investigators say most of the roughly 20 products purchased tested positive for illegal THC.

"Those warehouses were located in Plum Borough, Allegheny County, in Bensalem, Bucks County and in Pittston, Luzerne County. These warehouses were hubs for distribution to storefronts where the products were sold," Sunday said.

Investigators then followed the money. Authorities say they seized more than $18.7 million from bank accounts connected to the alleged operation.

"We also learned how they moved money under LLC fronts so it could not be detected and traced to the illegal proceeds. Numerous bank accounts with five- and six-figure balances, but also several multi-million dollar balances as well," Sunday said.

Investigators say the danger went far beyond these warehouses.

The grand jury heard from a Westmoreland County mother whose 4-year-old got into candy while in the care of a babysitter, who didn't know it contained THC. The child ended up in the hospital. A pediatrician testified that cannabinoid poisonings among children have become an "epidemic."

"When a kid sees this, and it's being sold in any store that they can walk into and just start buying these products, and they think it's candy or they think it's something geared towards them, and they see their friends using it, disaster can strike," Sunday said.

Despite the latest developments, the attorney general says the investigation is far from over.