Water Diversions, Hash Lab, etc. Cited in Yesterday’s Raids at Illegal Grow Sites

Marijuana cultivation site

Cut trees around one building. [All Photos from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department]

Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit:

On July 10, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served three search warrants to investigate the illegal cultivation of marijuana in the area of the Cedar Creek watershed in Northern Humboldt County. The following agencies assisted in the service of the warrants: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, California State Water Board, Humboldt County Planning and Building Department and Cal Fire.

Three parcels were investigated during the service of the search warrants. The parcels did not possess nor were in the process of actively obtaining a commercial cannabis permit with the County of Humboldt.

Between the three parcels, deputies located multiple greenhouses with growing marijuana plants inside. Deputies eradicated a total of 6,677 growing marijuana plants. All three parcels were diverting water directly out of Cedar Creek.

At the third parcel, deputies located an unpermitted butane hash oil lab discharging an unknown hazardous sludge into Cedar Creek. At this site, deputies also located 238 pounds of processed marijuana, over 200 twenty-gallon tanks of butane and 25 pounds of pesticide.

Between the three parcels, assisting agencies found the following violations:
 Nine water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
 Five water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
 Four depositing trash in or near a waterway violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
 Improper storage and removal of solid waste violation (up to $25,000 fine per day)
 Multiple grading without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
 Multiple building code violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
 Failure to prevent a hazardous waste release (up to $25,000 per day fine)
 Failure to report a hazardous waste release (up to $25,000 per day fine)
 Mismanagement of hazardous waste (up to $25,000 per day fine)
 Failure to create and file a hazmat business plan (up to $25,000 per day fine)
 Discharge of waste into state waters violation (up to $5,000 per day fine or $20 per gallon of waste discharged)
 Dredge or fill of wetlands violation (up to $5,000 per day fine)
No arrests were made during the service of the warrants. Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.
Anyone with information about these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539. Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site greenhouse Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site Marijuana cultivation site trash

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Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
Muddy Black Dodge
5 years ago

Hang em high….

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

the orange sludge in the creek is naturally occurring iron oxides and a byproduct of historical logging operations. its from the iron in the silt.

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
5 years ago

>”the orange sludge in the creek is naturally occurring iron oxides”

Whatever it is… it’s not bothering the plants much.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

its harmless. but it does stain and odorize your skin if you handle it. large amounts like this are more associated with mining discharges, but in the northcoast, due to the Franciscan formation, it is associated with historical logging practices. a creek that flows onto my property from Green Diamond property looks no different than this one. if you google “iron oxides in creeks” you can see other examples.

Still trashy
Guest
Still trashy
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

i’ve never seen so much in one spot, i always thought it came from buried organic matter, or a mat of bacteria living at the point where the iron juice hits the air. I wonder where the lab stuff came from… Oh Bhogart.

taxpayer
Guest
taxpayer
5 years ago

fucken pigs, good they busted them!!

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  taxpayer

Enhancing hard drug business.soon a superflu will be easily imported thus.atom bombs were Inpracticle diversion of attention.law is stupid and thieving and destructive.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

They use refrigerant for extraction? Is that safe for humans?

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

Doubt they care either way.

zebrasniffer
Guest
zebrasniffer
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

I think they use the refrigerant to cool the extractors

Pinkasso
Guest
Pinkasso
5 years ago
Reply to  zebrasniffer

its butane in those refrigerant tanks, r600a is isobutane. just a way not to say butane in big bold letters when your ordering in bulk like these guy must have been.

festes haggins
Guest
festes haggins
5 years ago

Just another thug pot grower site,look at me with my jacked up new truck and my tats , what do you think of my cool sunglasses and flat bill hat. Don’t worry about the sludge or the rodicide or the stacks of butane, its all cool for the environment! , Catch up with me and my homies at the next rae-gay deal.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

those five BHOGART vacuum ovens abalone are $8k each. Someone had an investment.

Turbo
Guest
Turbo
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

Mmmmmm abalone

Just Saying
Guest
Just Saying
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

That’s what I was thinking. Seems irresponsible to sell butane extraction equipment without a buyer being licensed. Taking these toxins up to the mountains — such a good idea.

CLAUDIA Johnson
Guest
CLAUDIA Johnson
5 years ago

Were are the property owners Who are they They didn’t just move in last week If I owned property out in these the way places I would be checking on it They hold some responsible If they had called police a long time ago much less danger to the land

Bluehaired Hillbetty
Guest
Bluehaired Hillbetty
5 years ago

What is the anti freeze for? and why be so slovenly? Is HCSO just looking for the grossest (sp?) grows they can find so we are all just disgusted by the pure disregard for the environment let alone personal cleanliness.

Usually when you empty a 20 gallon propane tank you take it into town to refill it. Not just throw it down and buy a new one.

BHOGart isn’t that some fancy new marijuana processing plant in Eureka?

I have been around logging operations some and never have seen the deep sludge like seen in the creek pictured here.

This is just irresponsible and disgusting, terrible operation.

local observer
Guest
jojo
Guest
jojo
5 years ago

The coolant fluid was used for lab chillers, they push anti freeze as the coolant to freeze the columns of the hash extracts.

moocow
Guest
5 years ago

That was my question – probably the most toxic thing there – 55 gallons of ethylene glycol?? Sheesh!

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  moocow

Coolant for a rotor evaporator, probably.

LD
Guest
LD
5 years ago

law enforcement like to help trash the properties before taking their photos. I bet that didn’t look like that prior to the raid. Don’t get me wrong, butane oil extraction is gross, especially when not disposed of properly. But let’s be real, both sides are dirt bags.

Just Saying
Guest
Just Saying
5 years ago
Reply to  LD

I bet the trash was exactly like that.. I’ve seen places like this. The 25 pounds of pesticide speaks volumes.

bill belamy
Guest
bill belamy
5 years ago
Reply to  LD

I was kinda thinking the same thing. If you look at that one picture of all the trash strewn about there looks to be a bag for about every bag worth of trash. Not saying they shouldn’t have done a dump run long ago but kinda looks like bags were cut open and dumped out. Either that or an animal got in it very recently. What do you think?

automattic
Guest
automattic
5 years ago
Reply to  bill belamy

That’s what happens when trash is left out the bears and other animals rip I to it.

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago
Reply to  automattic

If left long enough the sun degrades the bags and they fall to pieces, even if critters don’t help out.

Ex-Pat
Guest
Ex-Pat
5 years ago

In answer to your question–MEN.

Water Guy
Guest
Water Guy
5 years ago

This all should be an embarrassment to the cannabis industry. However I don’t think it bothers them. They will say it’s not me, we do the right thing. I say BS!
So much for self governing and policing themselves.
Just shameful for our communities to have to put up with environmental disregard from people who just don’t care!

Mendo
Guest
Mendo
5 years ago
Reply to  Water Guy

The cannabis industry IS embarrassed by these types of sites. No, not all cannabis farms look like this. Yes, mamy non-cannabis farms look like this. If you dont believe it, you are unaware of what goes on around the world. This disgusting disregard for the earth is a result of the human condition, not being a pot grower. It is clear that more attention is currently given to the cannabis industry in terms of rules, regulations, and enforcement than most other forms of ag and business, but I am glad these sites are being cleaned up because it will make the cannabis industry more resposible for their actions (probably more so than any other industry affecting the environment)

Water Guy
Guest
Water Guy
5 years ago
Reply to  Mendo

I’m very concerned about something that can be fixed. The Cannabis industry can make it right. Follow good environmental practices and follow the state and county regulations.
Yes I’m very aware of the affects of communities that have horrible pollution conditions around the world.
For now my major concern is with my local community before we reach that level.

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Mendo

Imported workers to clean it up for minimum wage.

Lost in the Ozone
Guest
Lost in the Ozone
5 years ago
Reply to  Water Guy

Or maybe the cannabis industry is just an embarrassment? Greed and money does weird things to people.

Water Guy
Guest
Water Guy
5 years ago

If the black market cannibis could just be priced out of the woods, environmental problems like this would go away.
Hopefully someday it will be grown by professional farmers in the Central Valley!
As of now the industry is an embarrassment to our community.
I live in a town that I am now ashamed to call home. I hesitate to tell people where I’m from when they ask.
Hopefully soon it will all change for the good.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Water Guy

Until someone invents seedless weed, the industry has no choice but to stay on the hill.

Underdawgs
Guest
Underdawgs
5 years ago
Reply to  Water Guy

Professional farmers in central valley…Lol..laugh my ass off.you have not a clue amigo…sorry about your luck

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago

Commander Cody is that you?

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

See? This is why we can’t have nice things!

I am personally offended by this mess, and I certainly hope someone is held accountable!

Sites like this one are the reason why we don’t want pot growers in our county.

Malory Duchess Archer
Guest
Malory Duchess Archer
5 years ago

do you want ants?
because that’s how you get ants! (and the authorities)

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago

Ants draw toads.

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

And multiply the mess times 25000!

There is an outrageous cancer cluster in Humboldt. Could sites like this one be at fault? Growing marijuana should be done on farmland by professional farmers!

Don’t buy black market weed!

R -DOG
Guest
R -DOG
5 years ago

That’s why i keep mine as natural as posable just makes you feel better inside knowing your product is clean

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago

For 60 years plastics have been endrocrine disrupters.poisons too.

Hyperbole distracts from yer point
Guest
Hyperbole distracts from yer point
5 years ago

where do you get 25,000? this site sucks, but it is not typical. there might be 4,000 parcels with grows in Humboldt. the 400-500 permitted ones don’t look like that.
Cancer? Where you here for the cabbage-poo smell that soaked Eureka until the Pulp mill shut down? What about the pressure treating of wood here? Greed and disregard of the Environment have plagued this area long before weed.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

here is a perspective on conical burner use in Arcata in the 40s.
http://library.humboldt.edu/humco/holdings/collection_images/shuster/large/2001011200.jpg

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago

Plastic imported stuff.

Anon
Guest
Anon
5 years ago
Reply to  Zoltan

Plastic water lines…

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago
Reply to  Anon

Smoking a toxic product probably does not help much…

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

there are multiple cancer cluster areas, each with individual sources. the largest is Humboldt Hill which was downwind of the pulp mills. the conical burners were also sources, each one, but some burned treated mill ends, which is the main source of dioxins in our area and those would have been the bad ones to live near. we have one of the highest rates of down syndrome in the US and its 100% from dioxins. some of these grows and redneck properties on water wells create there own individual cancer source if they contaminate their well with surface dumping of toxins (like a chop shop or pretty much every property on the rural east side of MCK).

Oh my
Guest
Oh my
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Humboldt hill had the power plant as well; the old plywood mill burned its spent glue mixed with shavings, etc for power and steam after they got caught discharging it in the bay. “Treated” wood, most likely “penta” that is a fungicide was used a lot; Emerson mill did for years and they were right on the bay, a number of others as well. Blue Lake Forest used it and got away with capping contaminated areas, now the plume is heading to mad river and our water supply.

Jungle Girl
Guest
Jungle Girl
5 years ago

Wish Trinity County would step up their enforcement against illegal grows as well.

Liz
Guest
Liz
5 years ago

“Cedar Creek watershed in Northern Humboldt County” is vague. Can you tell me what town it is near?

Liz
Guest
Liz
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thanks! When I googled it I had Cedar Creeks all over the US.

Mariahgirl
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Where were they yesterday? All of the pictures state they are from the day before.

Susan Nolan
Guest
Susan Nolan
5 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Cedar Creek is a major tributary of Horse Linto Creek, which is itself a major trib on the lower Trinity, entering the river south of Hoopa, and an important spawning creek for chinook and steelhead.

binbearda4
Guest
binbearda4
5 years ago

“Those ruining the earth,will be brought to ruin”

Sparklemahn
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  binbearda4

Hope you are right.

Anon
Guest
Anon
5 years ago
Reply to  binbearda4

“Those ruining the earth,will be brought to ruin”

That’s why, not only would I never dream of firing up a hash lab, I also choose to bypass meat and dairy .

Industrial meat/dairy is a karmic train wreck for this earth!! It is implicated in 50% of global warming!!! It generates nasty effluent, water waste and contamination by the trillions of gallons, causes untold suffering to fellow sentient beings, and exposes everyone who consumes it to a horrifying concoction of drugs, pus and e coli. We don’t need meat to survive. Our obvious epidemic of fat sick weak blobs of citizens is a joke! 50% are OBESE! Heart disease kills 50% of us! Everyone is aware those problems are directly linked to consumption of meat, dairy, and processed garbage . But oh no, everyone is a busy body peace loving Eco Freak , until they eat.. then no fucks are given. Put that on the BBQ.

Meow
Guest
Meow
5 years ago

Why doesn’t the Sheriff’s department ever say who the land owners are? Ultimately the clean up bill should fall to the property owner as a lien. When the property owner does not pay on the lien and then the property should be auctioned off by the County.

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago

Fukn ugly all around. U guys should truly be ashamed of your actions. Pick up you trash you lazy pigs! Jeeezzz. This is what gives “cannibis “ “farmers” a bad name is doo doos like this.

Titlow Girl - non-grower
Guest
Titlow Girl - non-grower
5 years ago

Cedar Creek is a tributary to Willow Creek, which runs into the Trinity and into the Hoopa Water Treatment Plant.

groba dude trustafarian osnt
Guest
groba dude trustafarian osnt
5 years ago

Many Hoopa have cancer, and they blame the water supply…

R -DOG
Guest
R -DOG
5 years ago

Just pour deisal on the whole place light it up get the hell out of the way let it burn bring in cat hule it all out put bad people in jail very simple thats what all these places need a make over

Got Rosin?
Guest
5 years ago

BHOGART has destroyed more lives than it has helped…
#justsaybhNO!

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

By the looks of all that trash lying all over I would say that they are deffently gross polutors.

Mister m.
Guest
5 years ago

Fuck em that’s horrible to do that to our beautiful water sheds of course no arrests.

Miguel
Guest
Miguel
5 years ago

Thank you Kym and thank you law enforcement agencies. Nearby resident I am.

Wabbajack
Guest
Wabbajack
5 years ago

Truly disgusting. Considering the amount of money obviously invested in this operation, you wouldn’t think going to the dump once in a while would break their budget.

farce
Guest
farce
5 years ago

I said it here years ago….BHOgart is the problem. Shut them down or track their equipment for big busts to be had. Yet there they are proudly selling their BHO equipment in Eureka, flaunting it in our faces. Then later we are shocked that their equipment is all over ugly backwoods factories?!!

Bump
Guest
Bump
5 years ago
Reply to  farce

They have a distribution / retail location in Grants Pass also.

Frankly lee
Guest
Frankly lee
5 years ago

There are a few of these abated grows in our neighborhood. The property owners forfeited the land to avoid paying huge fines. If the property is now owned by Humboldt county or the state I don’t know but the outdoor gardens on a couple have been planted again this season. Maybe hcso will cut them maybe not with no one left to fine or arrest. When the cats away the mice will play

Just maybe
Guest
Just maybe
5 years ago

Ever since the white man arrived in Humboldt, andwherever they go, it has been environmental devastation.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Just maybe

Before the white man arrived on the north coast, environmental damage was limited only because the technology wasn’t there to do more. The natives then did what damage they were capable of from gill netting to firing to keep prairies clear. Changing the environment to suit is a human speciality.

Blue dog
Guest
Blue dog
5 years ago

All the money these growers make and they can’t even take a load of trash to the dump every now and then. They divert and pollute the land and waterways and then argue they should be left alone because they are making medicine.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago

Sorry but race does not cause environmental devastation. There are plenty of yards in Hoopa that have piles of household garbage in them just like the piles at this grow, only they’re not grows, they’re residences. I realize crying race this and race that is the “in” thing to do these days but it’s getting old. There are bad people and good people in every race that exist so get over it.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago

almost every property on the rural eastside of MCK looks like this and many in Fieldbrook, Glendale, Blue lake. its called low income.

anonymous
Guest
anonymous
5 years ago

Never was a snitch but now is the time if you know someone like this!!!!

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

DON’T BUY OR DEAL IN BLACK MARKET WEED! SMOKING POISONED WEED MAY NOT KILL YOU TODAY, BUT CLEARLY, IT MAY KILL YOU LATER…

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

“Legal” poisoned plants are better?

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago

Buy Black Market Only! Only fools equate “legal” with “clean”. Anyone who believes that the government regulators have our best interests (our health) in mind when they create these laws has either been duped by government propaganda or are just too blind to see reality. Some examples to prove my point are: the food we all consume (read the ingredients), pharmaceuticals (where do I begin?), tobacco (do you honestly believe that Marlboro you smoke is simply a rolling paper with organic tobacco inside? You probably do.), pesticides and herbicides (Roundup!), meat(isn’t it amazing how the meat we buy is always so perfectly red and pretty?), and the list goes on to include every single product we consume in this country. All regulated and all very unhealthy for us because of those regulations. Weed is sadly on the verge of being taken over by those same regulators but there is still one little shimmer of fading light. Buy Black Market Only!

Humloc
Guest
Humloc
5 years ago

This is disgusting but there are plenty of non-marijuana properties that are just as trashy with evironmental damages who are not held accountable. The news rarely shows positive marijuana news, cannabis industry businesses & farms who are doing things correctly. This contributes to miseducation & derogatory stigma.

Guest 41
Guest
Guest 41
5 years ago
Reply to  Humloc

I agree100%

JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
Guest
JustWantToHeartheEndoftheStory
5 years ago

Why, you see it at every site, why can’t the inhabitants or workers or whatever they call themselves, put their trash in a trash bag? Is it too hard to reach over a foot or so and use the black plastic bags that are all over the place to keep the trash in one place? Or do they have “homeless-it is”, observable in Eureka and environs, a disorder which prevents someone from using trash receptacles…

Humloc
Guest
Humloc
5 years ago

Idk but the news does not showoff the many proper farms & seems to mostly highlight disasters. Non-cannabis property’s are not blasted in the news or by law enforcement for being trashy & environmental damage. If the County truly cares about waste management, they’d have more trash pickup routes… I’m sure this would solve a lot of trash prblms.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

I think we should thank the pretend representatives labeled Supes. The most devastation has happened in the last 24 months from when they unlawfully taxed uninformed farmers and pushed anti-nature indoor grows with threats and coercion. If you, in the private, don’t sign-up for “legal” Public idiocy, we’ll come and attack you and call planting nature in nature by nature, a crime.

Look at the front of the courthouse. It looks like ground zero.

Why would anyone trust those who have proved to be so untrustworthy?

Humboldtbro
Guest
Humboldtbro
5 years ago

Nothing impactful. The sludge is natural occurring with healthy native plant s growing in the middle . Because it’s from iron in the soil. Iron makes plants greener as you can tell by what’s growing the middle of the so called sludge. A bunch of garbage bags that a bear a got into is worst I see in these pictures . A normal humboldt property grower or not . A nice greenhouse that’s cleaner than the legal ones I’ve seen and a nice clean bholab same as the legal ones . The only different is they didn’t pay the tax permit money takers fees . If they did they would have the image of legal good people that are permitted angel growers that just want to keep humboldt brand alive .

Humblodtbro
Guest
Humblodtbro
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

If it is not natural occurring . I’ve seen many . Then I see the old stumps that shows signs of logging . But dirt erosion being the big issue. They should have cut the hill at 40 degree angle like the professionals to prevent but it’s makes its own 40 degree angle . And after our huge raining season the year before erosion is expected . So if they would have cut the hillside better they wouldn’t be criminals . If that’s the case . I am against damaging the environment but I thinks it’s being exaggerated in the name of tax and permit money . I understand what your saying and how you feel . I appreciate your work as a journalist . I love this site .

Bruceleroy
Guest
Bruceleroy
5 years ago

You would think the smart biologists would know that it’s iron seepage and not take pictures and pretend it’s bho. But Remember police can lie to you there trained too but you can’t lie to them it’s illegal. Google it if you don’t believe me that it’s iron. There dramatizing there efforts as any smart person can see . The environmental issues are always exaggerated because that’s all they can come up with to justify there efforts .

playnwfire
Guest
playnwfire
5 years ago

There are a thousand grows just like this in Trinity Pines and no one gives two shits, not TCSO or F&W.

bill belamy
Guest
bill belamy
5 years ago
Reply to  playnwfire

Yeah it is pretty crazy if you go on google maps and look at trinity pines it is so blown up and basically right in the middle of it is a US forest ranger station and they apparently don’t care either.

WillSmith
Guest
WillSmith
5 years ago
Reply to  bill belamy

Exactly trinity pines is insane you can just drive in the pines and see everything that’s happening from the road. Nobody has fences just a bunch of blown over weed matting but its safety in numbers I think. Because theres so many and all out in the open they are just overwhelmed by it. Maybe they have sympathy for the Hmong people?

Humboldtbro
Guest
Humboldtbro
5 years ago

I want to see them in the national forest busting the big cartel grows soon .

BlushinBrit
Guest
BlushinBrit
5 years ago

“Don’t you look at me so smug
And say I’m going bad.
Who are you to judge me
And the life that I live?
I know that I’m not perfect
And that I don’t claim to be.
So before you point your fingers,
Be sure your hands are clean.
Judge not
Before you judge yourself.
Judge not
If you’re not ready for judgement.
The road of life is rocking
And you may stumble too.
So while you talk about me,
someone else is judging you.”