Kimtu and Rancho Sequoia Hit During Raids on SoHum Marijuana Gardens
Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On July 23, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) and wardens with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) served four search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in Southern Humboldt. The following agencies assisted in the service of the warrants: CDFW Watershed Enforcement Team, Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, California State Water Board and Humboldt County Planning and Building Department.
Four parcels were investigated during the service of the warrants. The parcels did not possess nor were in the process of actively obtaining a commercial cannabis permit with the County of Humboldt. One parcel investigated was located on the 1000 block of Kimtu Road in Garberville. Three parcels investigated were located in the Rancho Sequoia area.
During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 6,752 growing cannabis plants. Deputies also seized and destroyed approximately 384 pounds of processed cannabis. Deputies seized three firearms, one of which had been reported stolen out of Idaho.
Between the four parcels, assisting agencies found the following violations:
– Five water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Six water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Four failure to file a report of discharge into state waters violations (up to $5,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Four commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day)
– Two dredge or fill waters of the United States violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Two improper storage and removal of solid waste violations (up to $25,000 fine per day, per violation)
– 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)
– Timber conversion violation (up to $8,000 fine per day)
– Failure to label hazardous waste violation (up to $70,000 fine per day)
– Open hazardous waste container violation (up to $70,000 fine per day)
– Three stream management violations
– Junk vehicles violationNo 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.
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
OK, that’s it. I think the good times are definitely done. It seems law enforcement is swinging their club big time and protecting those who are complying with the new laws for legalization and rousting those out who aren’t. Time to get legal or get out for sure? I think this is going to keep on coming as we’ve been seeing it the last month or so. Not sure where the money is coming from for the enforcement but it seems to be there, bona fide.
The dark hearts are back out at kimtu and China Creek
Is say the money is coming from the legal farms tax dollars my friend. I believe part of the permit cost is going to eradication of illegal gardens!
2.5 million was given by feds to CA for eradication efforts this year.
Just a couple days worth of fines on even one of the parcels pays for the entire day’s operation. Keep it up and we might solve the County’s budget problem.
Get em!
$70,000 a day!
Who in the f@$k grows full outdoor plants in the wide open with no permits!! Lmfao. Morons. Hello. Satellite images? Duh!
Yep we’re gonna see the same thing that happened with CAMP, big timers move to indoor growing in barns, houses or whatever out in the hills. The diesel tanks needed to keep a big indoor going have leaked in the past and will again! Definitely way more polluting than other things and very dangerous. Peoples springs and other water sources were polluted in the past.
Oh but hey county nice job making growing herb a class issue. No permits for folks who dont own 5 acres or more. I know multiple folks who wanted to do permit for a smaller garden than the lowest tier and the county refused them.
Sorry folks you gotta go big is the msg. Legal farms that ive talked to are having to grow and produce at least 3500 pounds this year to just get by. Think about that. Thats not even the highest tier, & “legal” farms can purchase permits from folks who couldn’t get theirs finished due to costs. So a farm with the highest tier permit can buy 10 other permits for the same size. Goin for around 250,000$. How does that not benefit the rich????
The only people who can afford it are the big growers!!!!! What happened to all those rules to protect smallong term locals gardens??
How very trump of you, reward the rich polluters while stepping on the lil guy. This permit process is bullshit straight up. Are there any other industries where you are in an application process and the governing body continually changes the rules and mainly adds more and more costs to person applying, costs that werent even written down or thought of when person applied?
Plus busts like these are stupid, 4 gardens with 6,000+ plants total? I can show you farms that have more than that in a few big hoophouses, why are they not going after those???? Like most business in humboldt, the cops are getting paid off and now are able to go after anyone they personally dont like. No arrests = no one to pay the fines so all you cheering that need a dose of a reality check. The cops will seize everything to sell at auction or to each other, & leave the land they busted a hot mess literally. Then theyll sell the parcel at auction to someone who will then grow on it without a permit, theyll bust them and sell the land etc, the pattern will continue.
Any of you who think the cops are doing these busts cuz they care are sadly wrong, its all about the $$$$ & sticking it to people they dont like. Why bust such small gardens?????
Well, and think about it.. is CA really going to smoke that much? In the past we have always supplied the whole country. Now the legal guys think they need to grow more and only be able to sell in state?! Think about it.. it doesn’t pan out. I hope the authorities also keep an eye on ‘legal’ growers supplying the ‘black market’ because that’s going to be the big pressure.
The CA voters passed legalization. We can’t allow moonshiners
no they thought they legalized moonshine… this is bs
Why the tears? It’s leagal I’ve got my six in the sun blowing up big.
Good luck to you.
You are absolutely correct . As a small farmer creating strains , I realize my 40 types will bury me in the end. I’ll probably lose my home . Its terrifying and criminal . I’m glad for the enviornmental controls , but at a cost that will take down this county . Where are the jobs in town coming from ? Who is going to pay property taxes ? They dont care . Fines will bring in far , far more than pot taxes Ever could. 100xs more . This is criminal . I’m in the permit process , but dont hold much hope honestly .
Well said I just don’t understand what Trump has to do with this. So what dumbs….s thought legalization would be a good thing. It was obvious 40 years ago that this would happen some day and it’s not over yet. They just cut out mom and pop the small soulful growers that took pride in what they did and turned it over to greedy opportunist. Great job you guys.
it magically went from $5,000/day for joe lube rack to $70,000/day for joe grow site, same agency and same unlabeled open waste oil container.
Yes, but Joe lube rack busts his fat ass for pennies a day and drives a beat up honda accord! Joe grow site just got out of gold’s gym gets in his gold lifted dodge ram with solid gold ladder bars and you ask how much he makes he will just smile and flash his gold teeth!
Keep fantasizing. Joe Lube Rack probably makes a decent or very good living and the profit-margin on the legal production of weed has been dropping for years and accelerating under increasingly onerous and expensive permitting requirements. Joe or Judy Craft Brewers have done well cranking out alcohol but that’s cool. Not too many locals driving gold pick-ups. But, hey, knock yourself out.
Personally, I am glad the these grows are being eradicated. They divert the water from our precious rivers and creeks, grade the land which creates problems for the watersheds, and engage in improper solid waste disposal. Eww!
It’s about time!
What is not being said here is that a lot of these folks DO HA VE an interim Permit to grow from none other than the County of Humboldt. Some others are in process and in a legal contract with the County of Humboldt to get their operations up to the new laws.
What is also NOT being said is some of the law enforcement ops to ‘eradicate’ illegal grows are just mowing down first and NOT ASKING the County PLANNING department for a given property’s status before doing so.
NONE of the County departments like each other, talk to each other or even email each other. It is whack a doodle.
Some of us that are not users, and yet support the rights of those the state and county that are trying to be legit, want the STUPIDVISORS to forgo their pay to reimburse the legal owners/operators of grows for the County’s taking away product inventory.
Inverse Condemnation has a legal process, you County Arnold wanna-be’s!!!!
All hail Cleopatra!
If an alien from space landed on our planet and met with the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and they tried to explain why their whole life seemed to be dedicated to the destruction of a plant in order to save the planet from environmental disaster. That alien, after looking around at the large scale wanton destruction on this little blue ball, from mineral and energy extraction practices, from clear cut logging to heavy industrial pollution, to wars, crime and the employment of “Systems” that govern how people are to lead their lives. These “Systems”, upon inspection, are designed to do nothing but enslave and cause misery to the vast majority of the population of the planet who live under them.
That alien might benevolently pat them on the head for their naivety and then return to it’s mother ship and recommend the Death Star take this place out as they do not want these lunatics ( US ) escaping the atmosphere and become a space fairing race.
in other words, when looked at from afar this all seems a little hysterical
“Although your world wonders me / With your majestic and superior cackling hen / Your people I do not understand / So to you I must put an end!”
And you’ll / never hear / surf music again
When Dick Dale played in Scotia… [EXCELLENT… ] asked him to sign a [email protected].. asked him politely if he could write…..” We heard surf music again”… He looked me directly in the eye , scoffed and said ” .That would cost you at least 250.00 big ones….His ego is as big as Trumpys ass…
Alien would be lablled as an invasive species. And eradicated.
Don’t they need a permit to eradicate the aliens?!?! Oh I forgot Chimpo Chump is the “leader” of the “free world” so I guess they don’t need a permit, especially when it comes to eradicating those that are a different race or class than the majority of the admin… carry on with normal corruption in 3,2,1
I resent “chimpo chump”. Try Hair Hitler The Flaming Orange Satan.
Yup. Another liberal space case. Literally.
Just take away our electricity. That will “weed” out those who don’t belong.
It’s a good thing the Trump Administration is promoting Clean Coal it might be the only resource we have left in Humboldt County it seems that code enforcement is pushing people into a corner and maybe it might be time for them to just say sorry and start something different next year I do not promote these giant industrial grows permitted or not but I live here and when you push people into a corner it probably will not turn out good for anybody and if you live here you probably know some people that are pretty small and lived here for a long time or being crushed out of their living space all done for what purpose enforcement
I don’t get it. Is there really even a demand for bulk canbabis anymore? All those violations and fines for maybe $300/lb? Where is the incentive and profit?
Out of state???
The incentive is driving out the little guy and growing 30,000 pounds. At 300 a lb, that’s 9 million legal dollars minus 85% for tax and running cost…. that puts you at about 1.5 million a year. Good incentive I say. And yes…. there is company’s doing just that and more and there not in dumboldt county
$300/lb? The fuck you get that info from? Must be some shwag you smoking Willy!
Willy. Do the math at current rate of say $1,500 a lb for A grade! Lol
Willy is not cool on herb. Maybe a cop!
250,000$ a day? And pot growers are greedy?
Yes, hence the need for high fees to deter them. Remember the decades of slaps on the wrist? Didn’t work and now they are trying to make the punishment not worth it.
Take a look at 1100 Kimtu on a map. What was this clown thinking? I remember a story last year when the Feds were there.
?
Funny, that’s at the same location on Camp Kimtu Road, where Gary Wellborn wanted to install a fire hydrant, while he was on the GSD Board…
Gary (my dad) wanted that hydrant to fight fires, not water pot plants. Also, if you take a look at that image, the Wellborn property is filled with grass, not marijuana. Also, my patently have deeded rights to take as much water from the river as they wish. The neighbors? Not so much.
In the event of a fire, a hydrant located in this area would have helped save that bunch of houses from burning.
The siezure was likely next door where the pond is located.
1st, you need to be in the GSD jurisdictional boundary to get a fire hydrant, and that area is not! That waterline is only for the 20 properties down at the Kimtu Meadows subdivision, which is in the GSD jurisdictional boundary and they have fire hydrants.
2nd. If your property touches the river, you have riparian water rights. However, it doesn’t give you the right to “take as much water from the river as they wish”! BTW, I don’t see Wellborn on the water boards list for water rights from the South Fork Eel River, why is that?
If the Wellborn house is getting water from the river, how come you didn’t put in your own storage and fire hydrant? And your neighbor has a pond…
If you look at a property map, you would know that those other homes don’t have land that touches the river.
My parents have plenty of storage and access to water. The concern wasn’t for their house, but for the others on that block.
In event of a major fire in that section of road, water access to fire engines would be easier with a hydrant. Now that access to water is hampered by distance from town and a low flowing river.
My concern is saving the homes on that stretch of land. And I’m guessing they would’ve been willing to pay for the hydrant, if that was the issue.
You make it seem like your closest fire hydrant is in town? I guess you didn’t know they have one at the GSD water treatment plant just over at the Park, outside their gate or like I said, the ones at Kimtu Meadows. It really doesn’t matter, GSD doesn’t have enough water storage to comply anyway. Ask Linda Broderson, she knows and stated as much in public at GSD meetings.
Come to our sanctuary state where money grows on trees unless you don’t pay the extortion fees. Welcome to the new country, same as the old.
Estelle didn’t care about us, the small growers.
She is beholden to her Fortuna ‘necks
and will be reelected in perpetuity
a recall would be fun, but…
F##* all growers. Small, large, legal, illegal, you promote addiction pure and simple. “Medicine” my butt. Society is sinking because of this permissiveness. I hope all these growers are eradicated.
Apparently your butt needs medicine. I guess you’re one of Anslinger’s blind followers lmao. You should move to Kansas and bitch about people that grow corn! Feckin eejit
right… so many self-hating idiots on the NC who don’t understand economics… smoke sumpin b*&ch
Never heard of corn lowering inhabitions,it’s still a gateway drug that will never change
It’s not 1955
You’ve never heard of corn lowering inhibitions?!?! Where have you been under a rock or smoking one? Pretty sure corn is one of the worst drugs in the world but I’m guessing you’ve never had a sip of shine now have you? Potatoes are another serious drug to watch out for or have you never had vodka? Rice, rye, wheat, sorghum and fruit are all seriously bad drugs!! Oh it takes a human to manufacture those products so I guess the human is the drug in that scenario eh?
I guess you never heard of good ol’ corn whiky then! Yee Hoo!
Never use cannabis as a medicine. EVER.
what is “dredge or fill waters of the United States violations”?
Probably pumped from the river. Scratch that. I think it is discharging fill material into a stream or river…. like your kids sand castle.
I wonder if this is referencing ponds or for that matter, any water containment.
It is so like Californian’s to vote a law in, and then bitch and complain when the consequences come. Growing up on the Golden coast I have seen many grows and the garbage they leave behind, the rentals ripped apart and electric systems ruined, the divirting of protected sanctuaries water, not to mention to the meth used to create and pay an unstable dependent work force. I say grow up. Work on the laws if you want change. I hope it gets worked out to the point that there are no longer crazy high on psychodelic or meth trimmigrants next door while our children are going to school and riding their bikes. I’d suggest not defending illegal grows until you have seen enough to get a true feel on the culture. The good days are gone, the neat and tidy clean mom and pop grows are gone, they got robbed remember? I know 4 growers that were killed for their weed in the last 3 years.
Hey Kym, anyway to find out which site had which violations?
I would have to know the addresses then I could look them up at the courthouse by search warrant. In my opinion, the violations should be separated in the press releases by property. However, the HCSO is fantastic about getting out info in general so I’ll save my energy to fight the bigger fight of getting info from those who don’t release it at all.
You mean CDFW? BTW, I listened to the GSD meeting last night, Wow, they are all upside down on what they call “Ag water”. I hope you can publish what was said by the GSD Board and GM, it was quite something. Thank you.
I don’t have a reporter covering them anymore.
Kelley Lincoln isn’t reporting for you anymore? She was there reporting for someone.
And what about the Mateel Board meetings, same thing?
She’s not reporting on these subjects for me anymore because I won’t delete your attacks against her. She’ll only report on issues where you won’t attack her personally.
What you call “attacks against her”, I call constructive criticism. IMHO, if she would stick to reporting and quoting exactly what was stated, that would be great. But for the most part, she tries to interpret what was said in her own words with bias and not what was stated on the record. Most of her reporting is her opinion, not the facts. So its somewhere between an opinion, editorial and news report, all rolled into one. Now, if that is your bar for Journalism ethics and standards, maybe you should go back to just calling it a blog,
The reason you “won’t delete your attacks against her”, is because they are not attacks, they are the truth…
To be honest, if you don’t like criticism, you should not be a news reporter or journalist.
Ed, you want reporting from her and then you say she’s bad at what she does. Does that make sense to you?
You can reply all you want but I’m not engaging with you anymore today. I broke my rule to not respond to you twice already today as it always leads to more attacks no matter how much I calmly try and work through issues with you. It’s an exercise in futility.
“Ed, you want reporting from her and then you say she’s bad at what she does. Does that make sense to you?”
When did I say that? When did I ask for reporting from Kelley? You are putting words in my mouth!
I would be more than happy to report on GSD meetings for you, for free, as in no compensation, no per diem, Totally and absolutely free, at no cost to you.
I retire in December, lets talk…
Boys shit looked pretty clean. Even his trash wasn’t house hole garbage. Just a old tarp and little metal and plastic.
Yeah, they’re not even bothering to document the supposed violations anymore. Time to bring back CLMP and go stalk the cops, anyone wanna join me next time they go to chop? I don’t care what the violation is, it’s a huge environmental waste to destroy plants or product.
Hi Ed,
I was just reading over the GSD notes from the meeting and noticed the AG water situation seemed very weird, like they are just throwing darts in the dark on fees and provisions. Seemed totally unclear. Where are you able to listen to the meetings? Is that online?
I noticed they also are raising the late fees to $15.00 per account if I read it correctly. I’m wondering when they plan to let the public know about that??
GSD articles are missing on this site lately – Kym, is there a way to get coverage back so Garberville can keep an eye on this?
Thanks as always
My reporter doesn’t feel she can cover this anymore.
The agenda item about “Ag water” was a joke and they can not explain anything. GSD claims they have over 70, what they call “residential Ag” parcels, within their jurisdictional boundary. The “Ag water” is no different than what they provide as treated drinking water, the only difference is that the “Ag water” is used for growing “Ag” related products, using residential water.
One of the things GSD cannot explain, are some kind of new state requirement, the state wants to know who is using the ‘Ag” water and for what? GSD is having non-public meetings about this with only Board members Doug Bryan, Rio Anderson and GM Ralph Emerson. It seems, after hearing the conversation on this, the GSD Board doesn’t want to endanger the health and safety of their employees inspecting these 70 to 75 “residential Ag” parcels and if they are growing cannibals or something else. They used the example of growing apples and making apple sauce for retail sales.
They also said there is no advantage using the “Ag water”, since it cost the same as drinking water. However, what GSD is trying to establish; if you are on a “residential Ag” parcel and want to use your GSD water for growing, you need to have an ag meter for that, with a cost of $8,000. So far, out of 70 to 75 “residential Ag” parcels, only two have the “Ag meter”.
It would seem, both Doug and Rio are not comfortable with this new program, or do they want to let the state know who is growing weed and who is just growing apples using GSD water, or do they want to have this conversation in public…
Hi Kym,
Thanks for the response. Can someone else be assigned to GSD? Why doesn’t she feel that she can cover this?
Ed, where are you able to listen remotely to the meetings?
Kym, If it can’t be covered by a reporter, is it possible to live stream the meetings on the site or have available links to GSD meeting and agenda items.
Mary, in the office also puts together the minutes post meeting. I think it would be great to have it covered and if not, included on this site that is popular and accessible to the community.
I think it would even build interest in new adopted policies with simple links to the information presented at the meetings. This site was one of the few ways to try and hold them accountable. People in this community really need to know what’s going on, behind the scenes to protect their rights and interests as rate payers.
Thanks for hearing me out
YOu’ve got me mixed up with a large organization. RHBB is mostly me and my computer. I don’t have the money for most of this. I’ll do my best but I’m struggling to make ends meet and cover major stories.
kelila shapiro; GSD just put in a state of the art, top the line video and audio recording system in their office. It should not take too much for GSD to have either live streaming or next day recordings made available on their website or i.e. youtube for public viewing of their BOD meetings or any other ad hoc and Board committee meetings.
That’s fantastic – Thanks for the info. Do you already have streaming access? I wasn’t clear on that. If you do already have streaming I would like to know how it can be accessed. Thank you!
Thanks for the info Ed. Where are you able to live stream this?
What you’ve mentioned about the meetings with just Doug, Rio and Ralph is concerning because as growers, there is a conflict of interest in these same individuals setting rates and policy. This is outlined in their own codes of conduct.
It’s also been revealed in casual conversation that the GM has some ability to influence and “FIX” rates for friends and possibly profit himself. This is collusion and in violation of the law if proven.
Kym, that’s too bad that Kelly can’t cover this anymore. Can anyone else be assigned?
If not, it would be great to have meetings live streamed here or at least the links to the meeting agendas and post meetings notes so people can keep up with what’s going on in an accessible way.
This site is so popular and including GSD meeting times, links to the Agendas and notes that Mary types up after meetings, I think could go a long way in public participation and accountability. This agency needs to be transparent to the public and is especially so when GSD topics are put on the site. It’s a major part of the politics and economy of Garberville. Please consider and thanks again.
I’m sorry. Mostly it is just me and if Kelley isn’t able to cover these, I don’t know who can.
Thanks – I do understand and appreciate the response. Even just direct links that send people to GSD board meetings Agenda pages would be helpful. Like the agenda links:
https://www.garbervillesd.org/files/3bb687316/BOD+Meeting+Agenda+Packet+7-24-18.pdf
They bury the information in the site and it would be great to have it included as a regular item to read on this local news site so people can follow the money, expenditures and decisions that are being made and in process. Thanks again.