Nearly 5000 Marijuana Plants Chopped in Today’s Raid in Southern Humboldt

This is a press release from the Humboldt County Drug Enforcement Unit. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:

On Sept. 24, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served one search warrant to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Southern Humboldt area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, the California State Water Board and the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department assisted in the service of the warrant.

One parcel was investigated during the service of the warrant. The parcel, located on Tooby Ranch Road in the east branch watershed of the Eel River, did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.

During the service of the warrant, deputies eradicated approximately 4,988 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed approximately 596 pounds of cannabis shake. Deputies also located and seized three firearms.

Assisting agencies found the following violations:
– One water diversion violation (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Nine stream crossing violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Three water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Failure to establish a Hazardous Materials Business Plan violation (up to $5,000 fine per day, per violation)
– Commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day)
Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.
Anyone with information about this case 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.

Marijuana grow greenhouse

Marijuana grow

Marijuana grow

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WC 666
Guest
WC 666
5 years ago

One more down. Good job guys.

Ridiculous
Guest
Ridiculous
5 years ago
Reply to  WC 666

They probably passed over hundreds of what they call “illegal stream crossing violations” on the way to the site.
The truth behind this statement is concerning because all these stream crossings are under highway 101. Are they allowed to fine their boss? The government of California?
Time to sue Fish and Wildlife for farmer discrimination. If they want to act like this they should be held accountable.
Maybe F And W could get fined for using “illegal stream crossings”

A space is a spade
Guest
A space is a spade
5 years ago
Reply to  Ridiculous

Kym, a interesting article would be showing all the failing parts of government owned highways that are “destroying the environment”
It’s time bring this conversation back to reality

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago

You should research and write it and submit it for publication. 😉

Ben James
Guest
Ben James
5 years ago
Reply to  WC 666

Right, this stupidity while murders, rapes and violent crimes go unsolved. Lazy cops wasting time on cannabis Gardens instead of fighting real crime.

Sia
Guest
Sia
5 years ago
Reply to  Ben James

Agreed so many other awful crimes they go on here And the bastards are just too lazy to do anything about it. Thus all the rapist and murderers sit there and laugh and always get away with it. Sad… And disgusting

The truth
Guest
The truth
5 years ago
Reply to  WC 666

Is there proof those tanks have anything in them. Looks like a clean containment to me.
The barrel could have been used for water

Gregory Baird
Guest
Gregory Baird
5 years ago

9 Stream crossings damned that is terrible. My father told me there use to be 4 crossings on Hwy 36 going to Red Bluff. However that is a nice photo of the diesel tank in containment. Nothing mentioned of the scrap lumber should be like $5000 a day fine.

Caption obvious
Guest
Caption obvious
5 years ago
Reply to  Gregory Baird

That’s could mean anything including having undersized Culverts or culverts that we’re put in without a permit, or rotten Culverts, or Culverts that shotgun out the back end. Doesn’t mean they messed up a creek or crossing that many times

Faro
Guest
Faro
5 years ago

Ya, and in the last few years fish and game changed the rules in regards to the sizing of culverts, now they have to be gigantic and oversized. So at this point basically every culvert installed in the last 50 years is an “illegal stream crossing”.

What a bunch of crap, there’s thousands of culverts in this county that are older than most of those punk wardens. They were here before fish and game showed up. They’ll be here long after all those wardens lose their jobs and move back to wherever they came from.

Get some
Guest
Get some
5 years ago
Reply to  Faro

No every culvert that is on a non permitted pot grow is illegal!

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago
Reply to  Get some

Even ones left years ago by logging companies?

TrinFriend
Guest
TrinFriend
5 years ago

Yep, pretty much. Even if you had a legal grow and those were found to be “out of compliance” you will be responsible for them getting fixed. Depending on how many you have they will cut you some “slack” for how long you have to fix them but it doesn’t matter how you bought the property. You have to pay to play in this game, illegal or not.

The truth
Guest
The truth
5 years ago

The state of California owns thousands of “illegal stream crossings”
Maybe F and W should fine its own boss

The truth
Guest
The truth
5 years ago
Reply to  The truth

Maybe F and W could be fined for using “illegal stream crossings”

Buzz
Guest
Buzz
5 years ago
Reply to  Gregory Baird

😂😂 yeah how’d they not get em’ on the scrap lumber??!

That extra tarp sure as hell ain’t folded to code and I GUARANTEE you there’s been multiple handtools left out in the open here.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Gregory Baird

so did the cops drain the diesel tank? or did they get the proper paperwork filed to leave it there? if not can they be held responsible for knowing about and leaving a potentially dangerous tank full of diesel?

Rasta privates
Guest
Rasta privates
5 years ago

Just out in the open growing a bit of ganja.
Guess they haven’t herd about the “pay to play” the county is enforcing. Its getting a bit late for a replant as well.
Is someone keeping track of how much money in fines the county should be receiving and where those funds are going?

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago

Leveling the playing field. Just a game. Cowboys n Indians, cops n robbers, hide n seek, call it what you want….. Two more weeks left S.O. Better step up the game!

Squeeler
Guest
Squeeler
5 years ago
Reply to  LostCoastEMT

Yup, what’d they get this year? 1-2%? Oooh, I’m scared…

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Squeeler

1-2% to the chipper, 50% or more lost to market conditions?

That sauce
Guest
That sauce
5 years ago
Reply to  Squeeler

I’d bet the numbers are a tad higher then 1-2%. Ofcourse there’s no telling how much is actually out there but still, they definitely busted harder this year then they have in any other. I’m wondering if it would be possible for Kym to do a final plant tally at the end of October. I’m sure it’s in the few hundred thousand plant range.

47
Guest
47
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

That’s government transparency for ya… 🙄

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I don’t trust whoever does the counting anyway. It’s probably a good thing they won’t provide that info.

Pinkasso
Guest
Pinkasso
5 years ago

looking at what i think is the place on google maps I cant even find a stream

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Pinkasso

a swale is a stream to F&W at a grow site. meanwhile danco clearcut an actual stream on the subdivision that didn’t happen the way they wanted it on Murray Road. I guess the forester miss the culvert that goes under the road?

binbearda4
Guest
binbearda4
5 years ago

not a dam thing wrong with what this guy was doing. Had a dry containment tank, no diss-colorization of any metal or plant life around. Because he didn’t tell any one what he was doing is the hazard waste part of things here, they jacked this poor bastard with all the other MUCH bigger scenes around. This cat was relatively small in comparison. To bad, fuck your culverts.

mama
Guest
mama
5 years ago
Reply to  binbearda4

5,000 plants is greedy

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
5 years ago
Reply to  mama

Please inform us of the “greedy” threshold.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  mama

Most likely clones with a few all year around. So not monsters Mama

TrinFriend
Guest
TrinFriend
5 years ago
Reply to  mama

Getting caught up in plant count is SO ten years ago.

Ben James
Guest
Ben James
5 years ago

Just more waste of police and Court resources. Unless these cops have solved every murder, rape and violent crime in their jurisdiction it’s just lazy cops looking for soft targets instead of going after real criminals. Make these guys pay a fine and get a permit and move on.

Big Bang
Guest
5 years ago

Good thing little Susie, and little Johnny, who during chemotherapy that need something for their nausea have found the “wonder medicine” in the form of weed! Bad thing is, about 100,000 % more than is produced in the emerald triangle would actually be needed to provide relief for their malady. Hey, I have an idea (scam), let’s see if we can weasel in a provision for “recreational use”…” I wonder which side of the fence will bite us in the ass first?” “Well, if we all do it at once, they will only be able to bust a few of us, so what do you say?” “Lets do this and roll the dice, I might get lucky this year!” Fuckin’ greedy earth rapin’ dope growers are digging their own graves…. Thanks for destroying my river, you shortsighted dolts…

Pharmstheproblem
Guest
Pharmstheproblem
5 years ago
Reply to  Big Bang

Feel better?

Spotted owl.
Guest
5 years ago

Let’s abate estelle fennel and rex bone rite out of there 80,000 doller a year supervisors seats.these 2 gotta go for any kind of changes.theyre gonna rob all of rural Humboldt if they’re in for 2 more years.its our county’s only chance!!!! Get involved we have to organize!!!! Meeting in eureka at supervisors meeting go show your support

ok
Guest
ok
5 years ago
Reply to  Spotted owl.

80k as a supervisor? Wtf

Jeffersonian
Guest
Jeffersonian
5 years ago
Reply to  ok

The internet says they make $53k..

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  Jeffersonian

which internet did you go to? E. Fennel in 2017 made 91K base and 122K total. she is the highest paid out of the group.

warrens buffet
Guest
warrens buffet
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

Seems very reasonable.

Flatgirl
Guest
Flatgirl
5 years ago
Reply to  Spotted owl.

I voted for Bud last election. Were you still in favor of Estelle?
She is complicit in so much of what has happened the last few years. I’m ashamed I ever voted for her.
Register
Vote
Tell your friends

Killapotomus
Guest
Killapotomus
5 years ago
Reply to  Spotted owl.

I’m in ! Let’s recall and replace their lying asses

Recall Estelle
Guest
Recall Estelle
5 years ago
Reply to  Spotted owl.

Glad to see everyone jumping on the Recall Estelle bandwagon (4 years too late). I remember when you were lauding her for all she was going to do for the cannabis ‘community’. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Way back
Guest
Way back
5 years ago

I got busted back in 94. In the bridge creek area next to whitethorne. I had my father build us a road.. We had better culverts than the county would ever have.. If they want to make dope growers abide by these terms. Why the hell does the county get away with all their leaking culverts and really bad maintained roads..if they r going to use these reasons for eradication. Then they should use all the forfeiture to maintain our roads.

Dinks
Guest
Dinks
5 years ago
Reply to  Way back

Well guess what? The water board will not recognize any 16 “ culvert on any of there jackass remediations, take a drive on our roads and start counting 16 “ culverts , there are bring your calculator to add plus all the shotgun out culverts what a fuckin joke , so why dont they charge the county ? Seems one sided bunch of bullshit, whats good for one is good for all , oh thats rite Co is broke they also are responsible but then they dont fix roads anyway lol!! Its very obvious take a drive folks Go Get Em DFW

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago

I wonder why this person thinks they are so special that they don’t have to play by the same rules as everyone else who is in business?

Small Fry
Guest
Small Fry
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

Guarantee if everyday businesses were subject to this extent of rediculous regulations, most business owners would be very angry. No way would it stand. Especially among conventional farmers.

racer x
Guest
racer x
5 years ago
Reply to  Small Fry

Welcome to the real world. When you produce a product that is ingested by humans it had better be heavily regulated. If real farmers (ones that have always played by the rules) were over-regulated they would work together for change.

Small Fry
Guest
Small Fry
5 years ago
Reply to  racer x

Lol… the ‘real world’ funny. 🤣 You mean the one where Maxam was able to clear cut century old trees like they were toothpicks.. Were was the county then? You mean the real world with hundreds of superfund sites? But us small time farmers are given hell for one tiny Colvert put in years and years ago. I have heard as much as $10G’s for ONE colvert.. How does that have anything to do with the ‘real world’. Seems to me.. the county is the one living in a daydream.
And yes.. beilive me.. farmers will unite to stop these injustices.

Real farming
Guest
Real farming
5 years ago
Reply to  Small Fry
Real farming
Guest
Real farming
5 years ago
Reply to  racer x

Like tobacco that causes cancer?
🤣
Real farmers? The ones who spray round up ( which is now proven to cause cancer) on wheat 2 weeks before harvest to get a better yield?
Here is a bunch if info on what “real farmers do”
Hope us real farmers can come to your neighborhood soon

Big Bang
Guest
5 years ago

I’ll bet everything I have ever worked for, (assets, memories, reputation, friendships, etc.) that if you relied on the river that you rape to keep you alive, you still wouldn’t stop grweeding, and that folks, is the shameful truth. Kill the river, and you kill us all…

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago

Shame! Does not seem this one should of been chipped. I would be pleased if the county helped this person get legal.

I understand not going after the permit, yep, I said it! It is extremely costly and after numerous inspections still just a temporary number. I have to do my part (paying thousands of dollars) and the county is literally causing delays for no reason in doing their part.

Going legal hmmmm, I prefer the days when it was not legal. To many hands in my stash who are not supportive and just getting in my way. I am proud of what I grow and the product I make and should be supported.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

does this now mean they are going to start destroying anything that isnt permitted or hasnt payed their taxes on it yet? like if i am late on my car registration are they going to shred my car or are they going to let me have a chance to pay it up

Flyonwall
Guest
Flyonwall
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

Your good comments go ignored.. great points! Can they take your car from you for not registering it on time? Now I’m curious

WC 666
Guest
WC 666
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

5000 plants and they can’t afford to get legal. What a joke. At a pound a plant and even $500 a pound that’s 2 and a half million dollars. Probably get more than that for it tho cause a good chunk of this illegal sh@t is going to middle school and high schoolers.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  WC 666

You must be writing the sequel to refer madness. Way off target with many of your comments. I suggest you update the information. Pound a plant is more like a half a pound per plant. They probably run in cycles pulling every three months. This means they most likely harvest one hoop at a time around 300 to 600 pounds.

They most likely employ several people and leased the land so this means their plant to profit ratio is 50% reduced. Now add the government’s cut or black market cuts and you wind up with around 15% to 20%. I have not calculated loss of plants to mold, disease or bugs but at this point your estimate of 2.5 million is now dwindled down 30 to 60 thousand dollars per pull profit.

Your comment about middle/high school is absurd. As far as going legal it has been an expensive venture with lots of confusion and I still only have a temporary number from the county and we are closing in on 2 years since the citizens of california voted!

The war is over get your facts straight. Embrace the plant big pharm fears. Support your local legal cannabis growers we make an amazing product that is globally renowned. This plants native habitat is in the mountains of Afghanistan which is the same latitude as Humboldt.

Educate yourself!

Kay Y
Guest
Kay Y
5 years ago

another one gets Bohn’d

weedwhisper
Guest
5 years ago

can i buy the weed at auction?

Bears with Arms
Guest
Bears with Arms
5 years ago

If there were only no criminal violations, only civil, then what is the legal basis for seizing firearms? Just curious.

Bear with Arms
Guest
Bear with Arms
5 years ago

If no criminal violations, only civil, then what is the legal basis for seizing firearms? Just curious.

Get those permits
Guest
Get those permits
5 years ago

Anybody else notice that the language from the last week’s busts changed from ‘no active permit’ to ‘did not possess required county and state permit to cultivate’? Just pointing out they are setting things up to start coming after the folks that are playing in the grey. If you think you’re in the clear you’d better have that paperwork. Stay safe family.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago

F your permits. People with half a brain realize there is no future in going legal in Humboldt. Maybe if your trying to milk a few more years off of it, even then you are just wasting what little money you might have saved. I don’t know why anyone would want to be on a public list that says they grow mj. What a bunch of sheep.
Enjoy the hot weather!

Potmation
Guest
Potmation
5 years ago

Rumor was that a busted grow from a few weeks back was permitted. Sheriff’s office is being clear they will bust anyone without a state cultivation license.

RecallRexBohn
Guest
RecallRexBohn
5 years ago
Reply to  Potmation

Unless you’re connected to Rex Bohn (ie Honeydew Creek Farms) – then you can ignore the rules, not bother with Track & Trace, and sell all your product on the black market. And you might just get tipped off if one of your properties is going to get busted.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

“Playing in the grey?” There is no gray in getting a permit while intending to not fulfill the requirements of the permit.

It seems like boiling down the comments comes down to cursing the police for not going along with that fraud and the county supervisors for creating rules that disrupt the free-for-all of pot growing when it was illegal. Hello! That was the point- to stop way too many people from doing whatever they wanted in order to maximize their profit from illegality. And to make the process difficult and expensive enough to reduce their numbers without putting the financial burden of enforcement all on public finance, thereby making it impossible to enforce any limits. It is a process designed to weed. That the weeds should object is not surprising. Nor is it surprising that all weeds are not treated equally.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

It is like working for a mafia (I assume). Actually, I am probably putting the mafia down they are way more organized. The government takes more money (cut) and never completes their process, (requirements not in line with how it actually occurs on the hill) which in turn make it grey leaving a gapping hole for the black market.

It is a pathetic way to go about correcting a long time error by the federal government of classifying this plant as a schedule 1 narcotic. It is a shame how Humboldt is not supporting this industry that created a name for this region! Call it medicine call it a drug it is still an amazing plant. This county should have some pride instead of continuing the war. The voters spoke the war is over and those that were outlaws are my heroes, my friends and my family!

Bye bye
Guest
Bye bye
5 years ago

About time 🙂👍🏻Hope they run him out of the county, he’s no good karma got him but not good enough for what he did to that black family and to those kids in Miranda, and from what else he spoke about he deserves life in prison!!!!!

Pharmstheproblem
Guest
Pharmstheproblem
5 years ago
Reply to  Bye bye

Who are you talking about?

Pat
Guest
Pat
5 years ago

A Word to the Growers , and a word to the elected authorities , and a word to the women and the homeless.
The sharpest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.
Women do not find it difficult now a days to behave like men, but they often find it extremely difficult to behave
like gentlemen.
There are more mis – guided Liberals than Lazy Fools in this world, else the lazy fools would not have enough to live upon.
Egotist– A person of low taste , more more interested in himself than me.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Pat

Telling all the worlds growers, cops, women and homeless people to act more like you. Are you sure you’re not the one with the ego problem?

Cannabis for all, and for all cannabis
Guest
Cannabis for all, and for all cannabis
5 years ago

You all know cannabis is a medicine. They don’t want big pharm to get upset, Loosing revenue to cannabis. Got to keep people on pills, with crazy side effects. I think anyone that rejects cannabis is crazy, because it could possibly help one of your loved ones with class that opiates can not provide.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Rejecting for recreational use. It is disingenuous to think that anymore than a very small percentage of pot sold is really “medicine”. Just a most alcohol is not consumed for medical purposes. Most pot is a cure looking for a disease.

Douglas "Dougie" Powers
Guest
Douglas "Dougie" Powers
5 years ago

Is there any other substance that has can be scripted as medicine without significant clinical proof of its efficacy?

The FDA has approved CBD for two specific medical conditions: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Odd how states with medial weed programs allow a doctor to write a script for patients with a number of conditions including the following:

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS/HIV)
Alzheimer’s disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Cancer
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Crohn’s disease
Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
Fibromyalgia
Glaucoma
Hepatitis C
Inflammatory bowel disease
Multiple sclerosis
Pain (either chronic and severe pain or intractable pain)
Parkinson’s disease
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Sickle cell anemia
Spinal cord disease or injury
Tourette’s syndrome
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Ulcerative colitis

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
5 years ago

Real growers use steel not bamboo!

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Scooter

Real growers use disposable plastic trellis, because they go bigger and bigger every damn year and can barely keep up.

Guests
Guest
Guests
5 years ago

Most likely clones with a few all year around. So not monsters Mama

trackback

[…] Office Drug Enforcement Unit – in partnership with multiple county and state agencies – served a warrant to investigate the property and discovered the growers “did not possess the required county […]

Spotted owl.
Guest
5 years ago

Legal lettuce has got it,the voters have spoken and our county government is taking it upon itself to continue a loosing war and extort it’s constituents .We need to run this corruption out of our supervisors chambers,and out of our lives and community. Estelle fennel and rex bone have gotta go,and soon. These scumbags are nothing more than the tweaker rip offs you see on the streets of eureka just at a way larger mass life ruining level

Fred Gardner
Guest
5 years ago

Annals of legalibition…

Bear with Arms
Guest
Bear with Arms
5 years ago

> Deputies also located and seized three firearms.

Why?? I don’t see any allegation of a criminal violations — only civil & administrative law.

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

This smells like another Sweet leaf deal if you know what I mean . I love you alright now ! The first time I met you I didn’t realize now I can’t forget you to my surprise !

This guy...
Guest
This guy...
5 years ago

Rio dell gets all their water from the eel river is that greedy??? I used 22 units last month just shy of 15k gallons on vegetables and household use and it cost me all of 130 bucks. Basically if your not growing pot do what ever you want.

Sleepy Alligator
Guest
Sleepy Alligator
5 years ago

All in all this looks like a fairly clean operation to me. It would be interesting to visit the properties of these agents who continue to issue these penalties. Let’s see how many violations we can come up with on your property Mr Fish & Wildlife.

Over This Scene
Guest
Over This Scene
5 years ago

Mostly these guys don’t own property. They have no idea about any of that. Often they do not even own a home. They are renters, pavement-dwellers. government workers who hate rural property owners because they are jealous. They are boot-lickers who obey authority and think everybody else should too.

Sweetp
Guest
Sweetp
5 years ago

This is the corporation’s way of taking Humboldt out of the game. While they put up huge green houses up down south.

Troy
Guest
Troy
5 years ago
Reply to  Sweetp

Instead of spinning stupid conspiracy theories, put the blame squarely where it belongs. The reason Humboldt County will loose out on the cannabis legalization boom is because of myopic agencies “specialists” with no field experience and even less understanding of the laws they are supposed to enforce. Instead, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife empower environmental activists with a bias against cannabis, firmly in the pocket of their allies within the local environmental community…