Walworth, N.Y. [WHAM] — In a significant crackdown on unlicensed cannabis cultivation, two men have been charged in connection with an extensive illegal marijuana growing operation in Walworth, New York. The charges follow a multi-agency investigation led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
According to federal prosecutors, the investigation began in January when the DEA received a tip about a large-scale marijuana grow site on Daansen Road in Wayne County. The site was allegedly operating under the name "Integrity Farms & Greenhouses, Inc." Despite the professional-sounding name, neither the business nor its operators had been issued a license to cultivate cannabis by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management.
The individuals charged are Ferrydoon Ardehali, 55, of Staten Island, and Colby Riggle, 37, of California. Investigators believe the duo ran the operation and distributed cannabis to several authorized growing facilities across the state, including locations in North Tonawanda (Niagara County) and Clarence (Erie County). While the buyers may have been licensed, the sellers were not.
On Wednesday, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the 6-acre Walworth property. What they found was staggering. Officials seized approximately 29,406 marijuana plants and 3,700 pounds of processed cannabis—evidence of a massive, unregulated supply chain operating far outside New York’s legal framework.
The criminal complaint notes that the marijuana plants were being grown in six large indoor grow rooms across the property. The size and scale of the operation suggest a sophisticated and long-running effort to produce and distribute cannabis on a commercial scale.
The repercussions for Ardehali and Riggle could be severe. Prosecutors said that, if convicted, both men face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, with the potential for a maximum sentence of life.
At the time of reporting, legal counsel for the accused has not issued a public comment.
This case underscores the importance of adhering to New York’s cannabis licensing laws, particularly as the state continues to expand its regulated market. Unlicensed operations not only bypass safety regulations and quality standards, but they also undercut legal businesses and pose a risk to consumer trust in the system.
As New York continues to build its legal cannabis industry, enforcement actions like this one send a clear message: operating outside the law comes with serious consequences.
