Road Blocks and Searches Accompany Raids in Mendocino National Forest

The law enforcement operation in Mendocino National Forest known as Full Court Press has found around 300,000 marijuana plants and arrested around 80 people. See Videos of the operation here  Video — From The Field: Crews Work To Uproot Marijuana Plants  and here Video — From The Field: Crew Eradicating Marijuana Reach Camp Site and here some still photos.

The legal activity in the Mendocino National Forest has generated many rumors about searches and raids of locals.  In light of that, I’m publishing a short report by Karen Byars of her research into what is happening near Covelo.

I just returned Round Valley/Covelo, currently  there has been no one outside of the National Forest and BLM land  raided.  There are many reports of locals being pulled over or running into road blocks and being questioned and searched but let go. They report that there are Forest Service, Mendocino Sheriffs and ICE personal at these road blocks. The road blocks are apparently just there while raids are going on in the area the road accesses. Many of the roads go through private land to get to BLM and Forest land so locals are having to go through the road blocks and are being searched and questioned or they just wait it out until they are gone to get to their land.  There are also reports of heavy air traffic, all types of helicopters and small aircraft.  This eradication campaign is excepted to continue thorough this week and next week. One of my neighbors has to go through the national forest to get to his property and has been pulled over twice questioned and searched. He will be interviewing with KMUD radio about his experience.

Personally I am in complete support of eradicating marijuana from public land but I am concerned with the way they are violating individuals rights with these road side interrogations. Round Valley is still in shock from the raids that happened last fall, fear and PTSD are running high.