DEA Raid Confiscates Over 29,000 Cannabis Plants in New York

Two men have been arrested and charged with operating a large-scale,
unlicensed marijuana cultivation facility in Wayne County, New York. Ferrydoon
M. Ardehali, 55, of Staten Island, NY, and Colby Riggle, 37, of California,
face federal charges for manufacturing and possessing with intent to
distribute over 1,000 marijuana plants — a charge carrying a mandatory
minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.

According to an announcement published by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for
the Western District of New York, the DEA initiated an investigation in
January 2025 into a suspected illegal grow operation in Walworth, NY. The
facility, operating under the name Integrity Farms & Greenhouses, Inc., was
found to be distributing cannabis to several businesses, including New York
State-authorized grow facilities in North Tonawanda and Clarence, NY. However,
a records check revealed that neither Integrity Farms & Greenhouses, Inc.,
nor any associated business held a New York State license to cultivate
cannabis or hemp.

On May 14, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Walworth
property, seizing over 29,000 plants and roughly 3,700 pounds of processed
flower, according to the press release. The operation was a collaborative
effort involving the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, IRS Criminal
Investigation, and several local law enforcement agencies.

As New York’s legal cannabis industry continues to expand, enforcement
actions against illicit operations remain a focal point for regulators and
law enforcement agencies.

New York’s adult-use cannabis market, legalized in 2021, has seen
significant growth with over 500 licensed brands and more than 260
operational dispensaries statewide, generating over $1 billion in sales
since its inception. However, public demand for cannabis has continued to
fuel a thriving unregulated market, as it has for decades. In 2023 alone,
enforcement efforts led to the closure of more than 1,000 unlicensed
cannabis operations across the state.

The sheer scale of the recent raid in Wayne County highlights the friction
between New York’s expanding legal cannabis market and the still-thriving
unregulated sector. With licensing delays, limited retail access, and high
startup costs, some entrepreneurs continue to operate in the gray — a
dynamic that regulators and lawmakers have yet to fully reconcile.