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.

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