A Bust in Illinois 18 Months Ago Led to Arrests as Well as Cash and Marijuana Seized Today

wood chipper

Woodchipper [Screengrab blurred from a photo by Robin Collins]

Today, the Humboldt County Drug Task Force served search warrants on a rural piece of property located off of Forest Service Route 1 and at a residence in McKinleyville. According to Lt. Brian Quenell, the DTF was part of an ongoing investigation into interstate trafficking that began about 18 months ago when Illinois State Police located 400 pounds of marijuana in their jurisdiction.

The DTF–assisted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Environmental Health, Humboldt County Code Enforcement and the Illinois State Police–arrested three individuals. One firearm, $150,000, 200 pounds of processed marijuana and 3000 growing plants were also found.

“There were multiple environmental violations on the rural property,” Quenell said. He gave one example of an issue that was found–a generator was leaking diesel onto the ground.

The properties were not in the process of getting their Humboldt County permits, he said.

A press release with more information will be issued tomorrow, Quenell said.

Earlier Chapter: Sheriff, Fish and Wildlife and a Chipper Were Out Titlow Hill Road Today

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Jorge Cervantes
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Jorge Cervantes
6 years ago

They must have forgot to bury the money. Rule#1 no money and guns present while committing other felonies. Can’t wait till they visit our diesel doper neighbor who’s generator fumes aggravates my asthma.

Bilbo baggins
Guest
Bilbo baggins
6 years ago

Haha jorge, I love your videos

Realwood
Guest
Realwood
6 years ago

All the [Edit]GARIANS on my road are from Illinois. I follow diesel drips up the road all the time. They have caused the hugest amount of environmental damages in such a short amount of time. Their loud generator hums through the valley 24-7 & they run machinery up & down their crude skid road after midnight. They have been put in check by Fish & wildlife but somehow they never get in trouble & they just go right back to doing what they were doing! They were firing off weapons last night. I always hear that they pay off the county to be able to get away with this shit! If this is true, it should be brought into the light. Was this bust also [Edits]?

Ezra
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Ezra
6 years ago

I’m sure they are just getting warmed up, going to be an interesting year. No permit no pass

sharpen your pencil
Guest
sharpen your pencil
6 years ago
Reply to  Ezra

Gotta pay to play!

Nimby
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Nimby
6 years ago

There are only 15 permits issued. It will take the county over 10 years to process the 2200+ permit applications submitted if they continue at their present pace. Two years from now those applications will be obsolete.
Tall stacks of applications is a pretty lucrative endeavor for the county, actually issuing permits is risky at best. You do the math.

Neighbor
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Neighbor
6 years ago
Reply to  Nimby

Let’s see… 1 Tall Stack/10 Years= …. I make it out to about 1/10Tall Stack/Year.

scooter
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scooter
6 years ago
Reply to  Neighbor

LOL I thought they were doing TWO tall stacks in ten years….

heydude
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heydude
6 years ago
Reply to  Neighbor

the county has already commited to proccessing all applications by the end of the year that are turned in by the end of june.

the problem with protocol
Guest
the problem with protocol
6 years ago
Reply to  Nimby

every year, logging companies’ permits for clearcutting thousands of acres are given the go well in advance. the double standard to both due process and environmental concern is disgraceful.

Festas Heggins
Guest
Festas Heggins
6 years ago

The logging company submits the harvest plan years in advance to harvest , and only after spending 10’s of thousands of $$ for environmental impact concerns and red tape regulations . Now all the dope growers get a taste of real life .

C. Armstrong
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C. Armstrong
6 years ago
Reply to  Festas Heggins

You forgot to mention the poisons (some companies) pour on the land after clear cutting.

Realwood
Guest
Realwood
6 years ago
Reply to  C. Armstrong

Barnum…2,4,5-T & 2,4-D! How that shit is allowed is beyond me. It’s all greed!

Festas Heggins
Guest
Festas Heggins
6 years ago
Reply to  C. Armstrong

I think you forgot to mention all the poisons the dope growers use to kill spider mite , mold, fungus, and how about the rat poison that has been killing all the fishers etc. . go look at the Van Duzen river that now has moss the week after high cold water , something that I know for a fact that has not happened for the last 52 years that I can remember , yes it has to do with all the fertilizers that are washing into our watershed . As a mater of FACT , I have kept a close eye on a swimming hole on the upper Van Duzen for 15 years and every year as the side tributary’s dried up the trout would come to swimming hole for the cool water , now 2 years after the upstream properties got subdivided and bought by dope growers last year there was not one trout in the hole all year long and so far the same this year. So far this year the only thing is soil bags washed into the brush at high water. I wish the worst to all you dope growers as you have ruined the way of life here and have been doing so since the late 60s.

Triniboldticino
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Triniboldticino
6 years ago
Reply to  Festas Heggins

You can’t win an argument by saying “I know you are but what am I?”. I believe 2-4-5T has been illegal for decades, so it’s the 2-4-D that’s getting used as an herbicide, among others. The point is, the environmentals of dope growing are not generally as harsh, with some glaring exceptions noted on occasion, as whacking 6 acres and herbiciding the hell out of it. Both have serious problems.

Realwood
Guest
Realwood
6 years ago
Reply to  Festas Heggins

So fuct up! Like I said…It’s all greed! Too bad all the old timber guys are subdividing all their land out to greed rushers after they already fuct shit up with their clear cutting devastation. So greedy! I will say that the old time loggers were better people than the thuggy greed growers these days.

Triniboldticino
Guest
Triniboldticino
6 years ago
Reply to  Realwood

People are people. I knew some “old time loggers” that would change the oil or the hydraulic fluid in the skidder, feller buncher, delimber or logging truck straight onto the ground without batting an eye. A big diesel leak meant nothing. And boy, talk about some thugs. People are people, but you’re right about greed, either way.

Lookin' deeper
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Lookin' deeper
6 years ago

The original locals of the Emerald triangle had a beautiful sustainable life. Until the original white man terrorized them in every conceivable way and stole and plundered their way into pretty much what we have today. No group has ever been happy when the next group moves in on ”their turf” and is just as greedy. The ”Back to the Landers” tried to stem the mainstream consumerist tide and put things in a simpler mode, but greed is too strong of a drug for most people to resist. What’s next?

HDD
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HDD
6 years ago
Reply to  Festas Heggins

You forgot to mention all the illegal pumps that the growers are putting in the Van Duzen. I’ve lived in the valley the last 15+ yrs and as a kid would swim at the hole every summer. Never have I seen the river as bad as last year. Sadly this year looks to be worse. Something needs to be done before it’s to late

Ezra
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Ezra
6 years ago
Reply to  Nimby

15 permits out of 2200+ that’s an embarrassment, this county is lining itself up to be sued for stupidity

heydude
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heydude
6 years ago
Reply to  Ezra

This comment is inaccurate the county has already issued almost 120 permits.

It's possible
Guest
It's possible
6 years ago
Reply to  Ezra

They collect the money but they don’t have to get to em any faster then they feel like, and if it’s like the planing dept you can sue them but if you win they aren’t liable for a penny

Dave
Guest
Dave
6 years ago

It is still illegal under H&S 11358 to cultivate marijuana for profit (certain legit cooperatives exceptions aside) in California without BOTH a state license AND a local permit. The state is not even issuing licenses until January 2018 at the earliest, and it will very likely be closer to 2019 before they are ready to do so.

Those few cannabis operators who have been issued permits by the county cannot legally grow until they receive their state license and can be arrested and/or subject to catastrophic civil lawsuits.

Either may also result in their inability to ever obtain a commercial cannabis cultivation license from the state.

If the county fails to properly act (e.g. revocation of the permit) once notified illegal cultivation is occurring by one of the operators they issued a permit to, the BOS and County may be subject to serious sanctions and fines (both civily and criminally).

Both the state and federal government are looking to make an example of someone–Humboldt County is a very likely recipient. Expect to see some high profile cases and news soon.

Killapotomus
Guest
Killapotomus
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave

How can that be true , they are bringing existing grows into compliance . That blows the whole can’t grow thing out of the water . And there are permitted scenes that are growing right now and getting their QR code for tracking . Plenty of marijuana sales permits have been issued. So what you said sounds right but doesn’t seem to be what’s happening .

heydude
Guest
heydude
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave

This comment is totally wrong. The law says if you were an existing operation with a caregiver collective you were already operating legally and can continue to do so till state license are issued in 2018. People who are proposing new grows or didn’t grandfather in there pre 2016 grow are the ones who cannot grow until they get both licenses for there property.

heydude
Guest
heydude
6 years ago
Reply to  Dave

Also it is now legal to grow medical marijuana for profit. They just changed that rule.

Dave
Guest
Dave
6 years ago
Reply to  heydude

Not until granted a valid State license too.

stormy
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stormy
6 years ago

Crybaby criminals, I weep for you. Now go make an HONEST living instead of preying on the addictive minds in society.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago
Reply to  stormy

Is there a more honest living than farming? And I think you’re confused on who is “preying on the addictive minds of America”. That would be the tobacco, alcohol, and pharmaceutical industries, not pot farmers.

Ezra
Guest
Ezra
6 years ago

When the criminal element is included its no longer an honest living
Lots of Midwest vehicle plates everywhere..it’s a game with the kids for out of state plates

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago
Reply to  Ezra

Personally, I don’t necessarily relate honesty with legality. Especially when it’s a law I don’t agree with. Just my opinion though. An opinion based on knowing that I am an honest person that grows and I know many other growers who are honest people.

spam
Guest
spam
6 years ago

Farmers grow FOOD.

How many acres devoted to mind altering substances, and what does that say about the state of the world?

Just My Opinion
Guest
Just My Opinion
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I think spam has spam on the brain.

Triniboldticino
Guest
Triniboldticino
6 years ago
Reply to  stormy

That’s about as honest as a southside Chicago cop!

Teegan
Guest
Teegan
6 years ago

I find it funny that it takes initiative by the Illinois state police to bust some one of our dime a dozen growers.
Humboldt County Sheriff doesn’t seem to care otherwise.

gunther
Guest
gunther
6 years ago
Reply to  Teegan

I thought the same thing.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago
Reply to  Teegan

Yeah well Illinois has a huge incarceration economy ( prison is big business in Illinois). It’s wrong that our law enforcement has to cooperate with states like Illinois when they come West with their outdated Midwest ways and their for profit drug laws.

Just My Opinion
Guest
Just My Opinion
6 years ago

Prison is BIG business everywhere. No such thing as rehabilitation, it’s all about the money.

People Person
Guest
People Person
6 years ago

I should get a ABC liquor distillers license and pump that poison into our community, legally, and with the grace of god. Then I’d be making an “honest” living …. huh Stormy?

Tailgate
Guest
Tailgate
6 years ago
Reply to  People Person

^^^

hmm
Guest
hmm
6 years ago

Ignore the cannabis crimes, hang them for the environmental crimes.

Really Bad Police Work
Guest
Really Bad Police Work
6 years ago

18 months?!! So…they let these guys make and bury another half million dollars or so before they could look up their addresses?!

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

Well, so far, no cotton or tobacco grower has drained the creek dry which is my water source, nor clear cut the woods next to my place nor let bags of fertilizer out over winter to deteriorate and run into the watershed, killing animals, nor hired help that camped on other people’s property, trashing it. All of which has happened with pot grows. Then of course there was the grower that brought in illegal help then decided to shoot them when they wanted to leave.

Protests that others have done bad stuff does not excuse what is currently going on, just because it is convenient to say so.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
6 years ago

Sounds like you have a bad neighbor, something that people have had to deal with ever since neighbors have existed. Certainly not an issue limited to pot growers. Nice try though!

Thinking allowed
Guest
Thinking allowed
6 years ago

The nice try is continual flicking off of bad behavior of pot growers. One doesn’t need to be a pot grower to be a bad neighbor but it certainly has been that the neighboring pot growers who do more than a few plants for personal use have all been bad neighbors to some one. Even the down the road neighbor who refused to keep his ram securely confined did less damage. The fishers disappeared almost immediately, other wildlife were much reduced- haven’t heard the owls since the clear cutting. I guess the world really needed to have another pot farm over fertilizing, flattening hillsides for convenience, with stock killing guard dogs running uncontrolled.