California public health officials and the state attorney general have filed a legal complaint against a Santee-based kratom manufacturer accused of violating state and federal law, according to CBS 8.

The complaint, filed in San Diego Superior Court against Ashlynn Marketing Group, Inc., which does business as Krave, Krave Kratom and/or Krave Botanicals, alleges the company continued manufacturing and distributing kratom materials after the California Department of Public Health issued an embargo following an inspection last year.

Investigators later found evidence suggesting embargoed products had been moved, tampered with and repackaged, according to the Department of Public Health. The complaint seeks a court order barring further manufacture and distribution, destruction of embargoed materials and civil penalties.

Kratom is a plant-based substance reported to be used for pain relief, energy and anxiety relief, but state health officials say it is not FDA-approved and may carry risks including addiction, liver damage and nausea. CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan said the agency is pursuing legal action because continued manufacture and sale of the products poses a preventable public health risk.

For Santee residents, the case is notable because the company named by state officials is based locally and the complaint is being handled in San Diego Superior Court. CBS 8 reported that state officials issued a consumer warning last fall declaring kratom and 7-OH products illegal to sell or manufacture in California.