Mississippi CBD businesses raided after reportedly selling substance over legal THC limit

Published 5:32 am Friday, March 31, 2023

Authorities raided several locations of a CBD store chain in Louisiana and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast for reportedly selling products with levels of THC above the legal limit.

Officers from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Bay St. Louis Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control have arrested Karen McClain and Darren Perksins.

The raids were conducted at multiple locations of the LA Harvest Company, a store chain that sells a variety of CBD and cannabis based products, including carts, edibles, oils, Delta 9 THC gummies and more. The company stores are not dispensaries for Mississippi’s medical marijuana program.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

LA Harvest has locations in Bay St. Louis, Slidell and New Orleans and is preparing to open a new location in Waveland.

Officials report that the company was selling marijuana flower and other items with concentrations of THC above the legal limit.

WLOX News in Biloxi reports that agents seized more than 75 pounds of marijuana flower and 26 packages of THC-infused edible products. Investigators also seized paraphernalia that believe was used to created infused products of their own using an internal lab-like setup.

McClain, who is reportedly the owner and operator of the business, and Perksisns, a store employee, are being held on charges of the sale/distribution of a controlled substance. McClain  also faces a charge of trafficking controlled substances.

Other arrests are pending.