Over the past few months, we have heard a lot through the greenvine about a company that was allegedly bringing products into Massachusetts from out of state in significant quantities, therefore seriously hurting their competitors.
The cannabis industry is unique in that state markets are fully contained due to federal law that restrict interstate commerce. As a result, it could be a major advantage for a business to sneak product from elsewhere into the Mass supply chain. Called inversion, the practice is forbidden.
Yet that seems to have been occurring at MRM Industries in Littleton, which was licensed to manufacture cannabis products until recently. On Oct. 26, Cannabis Control Commission Executive Director Travis Ahern signed a summary suspension order that lays out the gory details. We excerpted some highlights below, in chronological order, to help paint the picture …
Unannounced inspections, shocking findings
“On March 4, 2026, Commission investigators arrived at Respondent’s facility to conduct an unannounced inspection. … Upon arriving onsite, Commission investigators attempted to access Respondent’s premises via the front door, which was locked, and witnessed someone inside the facility through transparent glass.”
“On entry into the facility, the individual that identified himself as a general contractor, reiterated to Commission investigators that he was not employed by nor a Registered Agent for Respondent and, therefore, could not provide Commission investigators access to Respondent’s Limited Access Areas, including the processing lab and post-processing area.”
“Commission investigators proceeded with an inspection of the remainder of the Premises, primarily designated as office space. … During the inspection, Commission investigators discovered dozens of unsecured Marijuana Products bearing Michigan Metrc tags, which were seized by the Commission in accordance with the agency’s authority to seize and impound Marijuana.”
“On March 5, 2026, Commission investigators returned to Respondent’s facility to continue their inspection. During the inspection, Commission investigators attempted to review surveillance footage to determine how the Michigan Marijuana Products arrived at Respondent’s facility and discovered that Respondent’s surveillance system was not properly recording and retaining footage, nor had any footage been retained from the last 90 days.”
“With respect to the Michigan Marijuana Products, Respondent stated that one of its agents had transported a tote filled with the Michigan Marijuana Products to Respondent’s facility to show another Registered Agent. According to Respondent, “[Registered Agent No. 3] report[ed] to MRM ownership that he understood the packaged items to be display examples and did not believe the packaging contained actual cannabis product, at all times prior to this Commission inquiry.”
Violate, correct, repeat
“On March 13, 2026, Commission investigators issued Respondent a Notice of Deficiency alleging numerous violations. … On March 27, 2026, Respondent submitted a Plan of Correction.” Over the following month, CCC investigators interviewed the various agents involved separately, and essentially determined that not everyone was telling the truth.
“On July 22, 2026, Commission investigators returned to Respondent’s facility to conduct an unannounced inspection. … Consistent with the March inspection, Commission investigators asked to review Respondent’s surveillance footage. Upon inspection, investigators observed that Respondent did not retain 90 days of archived surveillance footage.”
“Also during the July 22, 2026, inspection, Commission investigators observed approximately 25 to 30 55-gallon industrial ethanol barrels and 60 five-gallon buckets stored in Respondent’s production area. When asked about the contents of the barrels and buckets, one of Respondent’s managers stated that the barrels and buckets contained crude cannabis extract mixed with ethanol (“ethanol crude mix”) that had not yet been refined; Commission investigators observed all of the 55-gallon industrial ethanol barrels to be represented under a single Metrc tag.”
“On August 7, 2026, the Commission issued an Administrative Hold to Respondent. … On August 26, 2026, Commission investigators returned [and] also inspected Respondent’s post-processing room and observed 13 additional buckets and containers (the “additional buckets”) identified by Registered Agent No. 4 as containing ethanol and redissolved finished bulk distillate.”
“During the inspection, Commission investigators also reviewed Respondent’s surveillance footage. In security footage retained from July 17, 2026, Commission investigators observed Registered Agent No. 1 and another unknown individual walking into the post-processing room, retrieving two of the additional buckets and using a funnel to add it to a storage tank identified by Registered Agent No. 4 as the storage tank for starting solvent for ethanol extraction runs.”
Test results and determination
“After completing the inspection, the test sample batches were transported to two Independent Testing Laboratories for full panel testing; Test results from both test sample batches taken from the barrels and buckets purported to contain an ethanol crude mix identified the presence of Delta 9 THC, which indicates that the mixture in the barrels and buckets contains refined Marijuana, contrary to Respondent’s representations to Commission investigators.”
For those and other reasons, the CCC “determined that [MRM], through its agents, repeatedly made deceptive, misleading, or false statements to Commission investigators during inspections and investigative conferences.” As a result, the agency suspended the license, and required the “immediate cessation of operations.” The respondent can request a hearing on the matter no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the suspension order.
The CCC was unable to comment on the matter since the investigation is still categorized as ongoing, and there are no recalls or advisories associated with products from this manufacturer at this time.
