Attorney General Alan Wilson Announces Large State Grand Jury Operation ‘Ganjapreneur’ Involving Illegal THC Products Being Sold Openly in South Carolina Businesses
(COLUMBIA, SC) South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that the South Carolina State Grand Jury has issued indictments in the drug trafficking investigation known as “Ganjapreneur.” To date, State Grand Jury indictments unsealed yesterday brought 40 narcotics charges against 12 defendants in Richland and Lexington counties. The focus of this investigation was distributors and wholesalers of certain THC products, sold openly in South Carolina stores, which regardless of what their packaging says test illegal under the law, are highly intoxicating, and packaged to appeal to children and teens.
The case has been investigated by the South Carolina State Grand Jury, which functioned in this case with the partnership of the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). On December 9, 2025, law enforcement conducted a joint operation which executed search and seizure warrants on multiple locations and which served arrest warrants on indicted individuals. The operation resulted in the arrest of the 12 defendants, who are alleged to be the wholesale distributors of large amounts of these illegal products to various retail establishments. The operation resulted in the search of 6 warehouses, 6 residences, 1 retail business, and 2 storage units. Approximately eight large 26-foot box trucks of allegedly illegal products were seized at these locations, totaling over 30,000 pounds of product, or 15 tons. The seized products included marijuana, pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, vapes, oils, dabs, syrups, and edibles. Proceeds and assets of the illegal enterprises alleged in the indictments were seized as well, totaling approximately $2 million. Over 30 county and local agencies also conducted their own simultaneous operations throughout the State.
Participating agencies in Operation Ganjapreneur included not only the Attorney General’s State Grand Jury Division, SLED, and the DEA, but also Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, City of Columbia Police Department, Airport Police Department, and the University of South Carolina Police Department, the South Carolina Governor’s Counterdrug Task Force, and South Carolina National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. Special assistance was provided by the East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore. The cases will be prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer McKellar, Assistant Attorney General John Conrad, and State Grand Jury Division Chief Attorney S. Creighton Waters.
“A stand needed to be made against stores openly selling illegal THC products, many of which are dangerously potent and clearly marketed to attract children and teens,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said. “This is yet another example of the State Grand Jury bringing together partnerships across jurisdictions to do tough jobs that needed to be done,” State Grand Jury Chief Attorney Creighton Waters said. Both Attorney General Wilson and Waters thanked all the partner agencies for their hard work in the case.
“These suppliers sought to peddle these products to anyone who would buy them. In turn, they were directly profiting off the backs of our children. It is unconscionable,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “Today, I want to make it clear: law enforcement in South Carolina stands united in our effort to rid our state of these dangerous, illicit products.”
“Synthetic chemicals are among the most dangerous substances circulating in the illicit market today. They are potent, unpredictable, and often engineered to evade traditional detection,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Thanks to the combined efforts of our partnering agencies, we were able to intercept these chemicals before they could cause further harm. This investigation demonstrates our shared commitment to safeguarding the communities we serve and holding those who traffic in these substances accountable,” he added.
Bond hearings for the defendants occurred on Thursday, December 11, 2025, before the Honorable Heath P. Taylor at the Richland County Courthouse. The defendants, charges, and bond results were set forth below.
Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
