The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Gives Details on Monday’s Busts on Berry Summit

PVC pipe collecting last of seeping flow, diverting to irrigation line

PVC pipe collecting last of seeping flow, diverting to irrigation line. [All photos from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office]

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

On August 20, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served three search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Berry Summit area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, Humboldt County Planning and Building Department and the State Water Board assisted in the service of the warrants.

Three 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.marijuana hcso

During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 4,834 growing cannabis plants.

Assisting agencies found the following violations:
– Seven stream crossing violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Six water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Eight water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Two depositing trash in or near a waterway violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Improper disposal of hazardous waste (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day)
– Improper storage and removal of solid waste violations (up to $25,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Grading without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Building without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Sewage violations
– Pesticide use violations
– Cultivation without registering with the State Water Board violationmarijuana hcso

No arrests were made during the service of the warrants.

Anyone with information about these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

Water diversion, impounding 100 percent natural stream flow

Water diversion, impounding 100 percent of the natural stream flow.

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46 Comments
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Stormy
Guest
Stormy
5 years ago

Hilarious. Cannabis company ad below pot-busting story. Right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is cultivating.

Sam
Guest
Sam
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

Since Redwood Roots represents the ethic of land stewardship and responsible organic outdoor cultivation more than anyone else around here, I always get a big smile out of seeing their ad pop up below busts of sketchy shitshows.

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Stormy

Thanks for pointing that out to me.are they together?

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago

Too easy.

Just Saying
Guest
Just Saying
5 years ago

An excssive amount of plants.

47
Guest
47
5 years ago
Reply to  Just Saying

So what would be an ok plant number by what you say? Does any agency dictate how many ears of corn a farmer can grow? No. And there’s no limit on the number of MJ plants that can be grown either, it is now a canopy size measured by sq footage. Sure these folks allegedly were not in the permit process but for those that are or those that have permits, they can grow a million plants if they want as long as they fit within the sq footage that their permit allows.

future land auction bidder
Guest
future land auction bidder
5 years ago
Reply to  47

Support Redwood Roots and other responsible business owners. The rest of yall can go back to New Jersey and live in mom’s spare room.

Without permits isn’t anything more than 6 plants excessive and illegal? Provided you don’t violate environmental laws. I don’t feel any empathy for a landowner that diverts and pollutes the water. I hope they lose the property and it falls into more responsible hands.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago

Permits are granted based on square footage rather than the # of plants. So smart growers do a Sea of Green to maximize yield. The fact that this grow used pesticides is enough of a reason to SHUT IT DOWN! No medicine should be chemically based unlike the God damn POS pharmaceuticals peabrain Americans are dependent on.

Dan F
Guest
Dan F
5 years ago

Agreed!!!

L.B.Stinkums
Guest
L.B.Stinkums
5 years ago

I’m pretty sure that over half of the so called permitted farms in the redwood roots family are not up to par and complete with their permitting either. As most aren’t. An organization’s parent farms maybe, but all the associated farms..well good luck folks the chipper is coming..

Choclab
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  47

Apples and oranges here, a ear of corn gets sold for 25cents, a bud of marijuana gets sold in los Angles for 10.00 also you are talking about the illegal growing of marijuana compared to legally growing corn. In which the farmer will take care of his ground to support the city of eaters. It seems so crazy for people to say things about the cannabis industry’s and growing of pot. Compare it to legal and correct ways to sustain the economy.

Just another local
Guest
Just another local
5 years ago
Reply to  Choclab

Hahahahahaha. Riiiight….. like the average american farmer doesn’t think about profits. Then why do a huge amount use GMO monsanto corn? For our health benefits? America is a capitalistic society. Doesn’t matter if your a ganja farmer or a or a medical doctor. Businesses are for one thing, and that is to make a damn profit. You call them greedy? when people like Jeff Bezos makes like 150 million EVERY day at the expense of his workers and small town businesses. You apparently know nothing.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
5 years ago

Could you please bust anyone who puts up a black tarp fence. It is a sure sign of guilt and cheepnis.

47
Guest
47
5 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Why? Because you don’t like the way it looks? I had to put up a fence that you speak of a few years ago because the spot I was on was heavily traveled by. What do you recommend? I was renting a flat, I wasn’t about to apply for a permit to build a femce to your liking just for a season or two. Btw it’s “cheapness” and in the end it has nothing to do with the practices and quality of the work or the product behind that fence, it’s neither a sign of guilt or cheapness. Guilty of what?

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  47

I think his point was, people who put up black tarp for fence are making an ugly scene for people who are making a life here. Renters or leasees who have no connection to the area and make it an uglier place for us who live here, just so they can make a few bucks on our backs, aren’t going to be welcome.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Great explanation and well said.

Just another local
Guest
Just another local
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

What kind of fences do you think would pop up in the central valley if all those farmers were forced to block off their farms from view? Dont blame the farmer, blame your local politics.

Disturbed
Guest
Disturbed
5 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Have you ever purchased a roll of plastic? It’s definitely not cheap! Although it’s not pretty it works well. You don’t have much of a life if a black plastic fence bothers you. Or maybe you need a date!

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  Disturbed

I like things that look good. I can’t stand black plastic although I use it when I need it. Not EVER for fencing though. I take pride in the way things look. Attention to detail is what separates the good farmers from the hacks. Like I said before , just my opinion but it’s from years of experience! I’ve seen a lot of people come and go but the smart ones that can make it last around here, usually aren’t the ones with black plastic fences.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago

Be nice if they would be more specific about the locations. “The Berry Summit area” is a pretty vague description.

Hahahaha
Guest
Hahahaha
5 years ago

Oh yes it does.

Big Bang
Guest
5 years ago

Impounding 100% of the stream flow? Life in prison for first offense, no warning. Kill your stream, you kill the river. Kill the river, you kill us all. Fuck greed, and laziness. Fucking stoners.

Sam Bennett
Guest
Sam Bennett
5 years ago
Reply to  Big Bang

EPA is known for allowing massive pollution from the too big to jail crowd.
The pollution is more sinister and discreet…..and effective.

It’s even got the medical community protecting and profiting from it.

Disgusting from one end out the other.

Changes nothing, if we keep buying disposable crap from China.

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

Choking in plastic?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Sam Bennett

So, if objecting to one bad practice, there is no reason to object to another? Or is it simply used as a distraction away from the issue under review?

As a person who once went looking for where the water went in a creek suddenly , it is a very, very frightening idea. No drinking water, no water for washing. No vegetable garden. All so pot can be grown to sell for profit. Clean your own house.

Eloa lodges
Guest
Eloa lodges
5 years ago

Why do they always say warrents were served,they tell u how many plants were so called eradicated,what the fines are but never seem to ever arrest any one. How do they serve warrents,yet not arrest any one? They just show up and take weed (to there own home) & stick ya with fines,witch are so high ya would have to grow again to get them payed off.

Anonymous Humboldtian
Guest
Anonymous Humboldtian
5 years ago
Reply to  Eloa lodges

Eloa they never arrest anyone because they fly a helicopter over your property a week in advance basically letting you know they’re going to bust you. Most people illegally cultivating run when they see the sheriff, and the sheriffs don’t put much effort into chasing workers down.

Localgal
Guest
Localgal
5 years ago

Not entirely true, the county decided a while ago to drop all criminal cases and pursue civil fines.

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Eloa lodges

Don’t be sensible.

Zoltan
Guest
5 years ago

The plants themselves are not diabolical.the effect of drugs are.in n Korea all intoxicants are death penalty,because of the intoxicated persons effect on others.money grubbing,stumbling,laziness,hairdo,example.tho pot there is smoked but ignored by government.it has little effect.a slight change in perception ,as it is a hallucinogen,weak,a little stimulation like coffee,or sedation,like being tired.that is nothing to concern a lider as great big as supreme lider Kim.

Jorge Cervantes
Guest
Jorge Cervantes
5 years ago

Emily must have a “big back” up there on M&W ranch road. Heard their place wasn’t very tidy either until more recently. Hillbilly’s calling out other hillbilly’s. Hilarious! Banjo music from deliverance playing in background.

sponsored by miller light
Guest
sponsored by miller light
5 years ago

roll the ugliness
go figure. blew up a scene to $1,000,000 worth of product and they can only afford a camp ghetto fence.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago

No I’m a neat freak…and I don’t live on m&w, Nice try though. I don’t have one scrap of plastic laying around. I hate the slow slipping into third world appearance going on around here. Any growers that can’t take a little pride in the appearance of their farm will not have the attention to detail to do good work. Hey that’s just my opinion! I can’t stand trash, and I hate how trashy most growers are.

SparkleMahn
Guest
SparkleMahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Jealous haters troll.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago

Thank god “cannibis “ is legal and all of this illegal growing from mafias and out of state growers will stop next year.

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

Boycott redwood roots,legal sellout snitch weed,and the farce of environmental sellout of people’s rights,property rights,and bureaucracy ass kissing and pay offs.you will see they’ll turn on the turn coat sell outs eventually.

No real roots here
Guest
No real roots here
5 years ago

Redwood roots Not so rooted in our community. Try 5th generation here go back to where you came from

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

They make a big deal about the water diversion as they sell our river to the wineries down south.theres not enough water in the river because there selling it.riperian water rights amended in to the Constitution in the 18 hundreds that there manipulating for there greed.and using it for an excuse to extort the population for more greed

Bill
Guest
Bill
5 years ago

I don’t understand how we are supposed to help the Sheriffs office prosecute those that are guilty if they don’t tell us where the bust occurred, who’s property it was on, or parcel number, how far out a County road, etc…anything that would help locate the criminal activity!!

The article states:
Anyone with information about these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

MISCONCEPTION
Guest
MISCONCEPTION
5 years ago
Reply to  Bill

Parcel number and the owner on a deed is all that is needed.

Dirtywhiteboy
Guest
5 years ago

Convoy up hwy 36 just bassing bridgeville 730

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

Buy a few water tanks,pay off the man,( ” to be in good standing with the county” and your really still no different than these people!!!!!!!

humloc
Guest
humloc
5 years ago

For this size garden, would of been easy to store water in tanks during the rainy season & not use the stream at all.

Big Bang
Guest
5 years ago

When you kill the rivers, the baitfish in the ocean explode! They explode because you wiped out the anadromous fish that USED to (before you fucking sucked all the water they USED to live in while young) live in the rivers go EXTINCT! When the ocean cannot keep up with the demand of the baitfish, because the natural predation by salmon and steelhead was exterminated by the water the “medicine” growers raped, the baitfish population crashes. When the baitfish population crashes, all hell breaks loose…
YOU (us) will reap what you sow. Enjoy trying to survive by eating your purple kush diesel ganja for the next 10,000 years. This shit-chicken will come home to roost…

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Big Bang

Growers didn’t kill the rivers

Corrupt extortionist rip off turncoat politics
Guest

We should be focusing on the Potter valley water diversion to the Russian River being removed!!!!!!