East County News Service
May 4, 2026 (Sacramento) – The California Department of Public Health, in coordination with Attorney General Rob Bonta, has filed a formal legal complaint against Ashlynn Marketing Group, Inc., for the illegal manufacture and distribution of kratom-derived products.
The filing, submitted to the San Diego County Superior Court, targets the company — which operates under the names Krave, Krave Kratom and Krave Botanicals and conducts business on Hartley Road in Santee — for repeatedly violating state law and interfering with a government-ordered embargo.
State health officials emphasize that kratom and its highly potent derivative, 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), are illegal to manufacture or sell for human consumption in California. The legal action follows a January 2026 report linking these substances to multiple overdose deaths, including six fatalities in Los Angeles County alone.
Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state Public Health Officer said “CDPH is pursuing legal action because Ashlynn’s continued manufacture and sale of these products pose a clear and preventable public-health risk and violates state and federal law.”
Derived from a tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, kratom contains psychoactive compounds that affect the brain similarly to both stimulants and opioids. While sometimes marketed for pain relief or energy, health officials warn that the substance carries a high risk of dependency and can lead to life-threatening respiratory issues when consumed in concentrated forms.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has echoed these concerns, warning that no kratom products are currently approved for the market due to risks of liver toxicity, seizures, and substance use disorder.
History of regulatory defiance
This lawsuit is not the first time Ashlynn Marketing Group has been flagged by federal authorities. The company, also known as Imperial Cigs, previously received an FDA warning letter for selling hookah filters marketed with unauthorized health claims.
In that instance, the FDA found the company was illegally claiming its products “reduced tar and nicotine.” Regulators classified the items as “adulterated” because the company had not obtained the required federal orders to market them as “modified risk” products.
The current Kratom investigation mirrors this history of non-compliance. Following a May 2025 inspection of the company’s facility in Santee, CDPH issued an embargo to halt the sale of kratom materials. However, follow-up visits in October 2025 and April 2026 revealed that the company allegedly tampered with embargoed goods and continued to ship weekly orders despite multiple Notices of Violation.
The lawsuit seeks a court order to halt all unlawful manufacturing and demands the immediate destruction of all embargoed materials. The state is also pursuing civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day for each violation.
To date, the CDPH has seized more than $5 million in illegal kratom products statewide.
Officials urge the public to avoid these substances, which are often sold as “energy shots,” powders, or gummies. Under the Sherman Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, these products are considered adulterated and unsafe for public consumption.