The Kansas Bureau of Investigation seized hundreds of pounds of marijuana and tens of thousands of pre-rolled joints, THC vapes and edibles during raids last week at 18 retail stores across Kansas.

KBI director Tony Mattivi and Attorney General Kris Kobach announced the raids while the first wave were in progress during a news conference with reporters in Topeka. They said retailers for too long had gotten away with brazen violations of state law.

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Marijuana and THC products remain illegal in Kansas, an abstinent island in an ocean of other states that have given the green light to the substance. Mattivi and Kobach said retailers still routinely sell the illegal goods.

In a series of raids Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, the KBI targeted stores in Abilene, Concordia, Great Bend, Independence, McPherson, Pratt, Salina, Sedan, Topeka, Ulysses and Wichita.

On Friday, the agency revealed it had seized 343.38 pounds of marijuana bud, 43,867 pre-rolled joints, 35,627 THC vapes, 84,481 TCH and psilocybin edibles, and $35,436 in cash.

Authorities also arrested to individuals in Ulysses in connection with moving illegal THC products to try evading law enforcement.

Additionally, the Kansas Highway Patrol stopped a 20-foot box truck on Kansas Highway 400 near Fredonia that was transporting THC products removed from the shelves of 19 shops. The KBI said it seized the truck and its contents and is investigating.