By Multi-Agency Investigation Leads to Massive Seizure
The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and Lassen County Code Enforcement began investigating illegal marijuana cultivation in northern Lassen County in June. Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office flew over several suspected cultivation sites and confirmed marijuana was actively being grown. Investigators determined none of the grows were licensed by the State of California or the County of Lassen.
During the weeks of August 17th 21st and September 7th 11th, personnel from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Justice Eradication & Prevention of Illicit Cannabis (EPIC), and the Bureau of Land Management executed search warrants on 47 separate parcels.
Over the two weeks of operations, Sheriff’s Office personnel located approximately 151,177 marijuana plants. They also seized 19,973.27 pounds of processed marijuana. Eleven firearms were taken from the cultivation sites during the operations.
Environmental Damage Found at Grow Sites
Thousands of pounds of garbage and dangerous pesticides were located at the sites. Many of the grows were found to be diverting and polluting water from nearby streams. The scale of the seizure makes it one of the larger illegal cultivation busts in the region.
The unlicensed operations operated outside California’s regulated cannabis market. The sites spanned dozens of parcels across northern Lassen County. The investigation began with aerial surveillance before ground operations were launched.
The Sheriff’s Office credited multiple agencies with assisting in the operations. Those thanked include Lassen County Code Enforcement, Lassen County Environmental Health, the Lassen County Road Department, EPIC, and the Bureau of Land Management.
Next Steps in the Case
Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office are committed to bringing those responsible for the illegal grows to justice. The owners of record for the properties will be taxed based on the size of each grow.
The investigation began in June and extended through two separate weeks of warrant executions in August and September.
The seized plants and processed marijuana were located across the 47 parcels targeted in the warrants. The Sheriff’s Office described the enforcement action as a coordinated effort among local, state, and federal agencies.
