SALINAS — A decide ordered Salinas-based hashish companies Fuji Farms Inc. and Palms on Religion Affiliation, in addition to their former CEO Paul King, to pay a complete of $2.4 million for rising hashish with out the right licenses.
In a press launch, the Monterey County District Lawyer’s Workplace said a default judgment was issued final week following three years of negotiations and litigation. Fuji Farms was ordered to pay $375,760 and Palms on Religion Affiliation was ordered to pay $2,038,424.20. The DA’s Workplace said King is personally responsible for the complete judgment primarily based on his position as CEO of the corporate and his involvement within the day-to-day operations and violations.
“The Monterey County District Lawyer’s Workplace client safety unit is dedicated to making sure truthful competitors within the licensed hashish business,” the DA’s Workplace stated within the press launch.
In line with the DA’s Workplace, Fuji Farms operated a 75,000-square-foot out of doors hashish cultivation between 2018 and 2019 with out state licenses or native permits to have interaction in hashish exercise. Throughout this era, the corporate harvested and processed 1000's of unlawful hashish vegetation.
In early 2019, Palms on Religion’s short-term hashish cultivation licenses expired. Shortly thereafter, King acquired the corporate and continued cultivating with out renewing the licenses and permits. King offered over $1 million price of unlawful hashish grown at Palms on Religion throughout this time by way of his licensed enterprise, California New Wave.
The DA’s Workplace stated investigators discovered of the violations on this case whereas conducting routine regulatory inspections, licensed below state legislation and county regulation. All unlawful hashish found throughout these inspections was confiscated and will probably be destroyed.
California New Wave ultimately ousted King as CEO of all its related firms, and its operations in Salinas are actually below new administration and possession. Moreover, California New Wave agreed to pay $150,000 in civil penalties as a part of its negotiated stipulated judgment with the DA’s Workplace.