PORTLAND (WGME) -- Senator Susan Collins continues to push federal authorities, this time the FBI, for more information about illegal marijuana grow operations in Maine.
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"This is a serious problem, and our county, state and local law enforcement have been working with federal officials, but they are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task," Collins said.
At a recent hearing, the Republican questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray about the illegal grows and China's potential involvement.
Wray says they are starting to see more ties between many of these operations and Chinese organized crime.
He says the United States and rural communities could be seen as an attractive market for the grows.
"Our assessment is that it's a combination of the fact that it is activity that can be done relatively cheaply, and by comparison to other drugs in the United States, the consequences that they face from a legal perspective are not as severe as that they might be in other countries where they might also want to operate,” Wray said. “So, it makes for an attractive business proposition."
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