1,400 Marijuana Plants Eradicated in Sprowel Creek Area

Information from the Department of Fish and Wildlife:

On Sept. 2, wildlife officers at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in collaboration with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant on the 2000 block of Sprowl Creek for illegal commercial cannabis cultivation.

A records check confirmed the property did not have a state license for commercial cannabis cultivation.

During the operation, officers eradicated over 1,400 illegal cannabis plants and documented a stream diversion.

Six subjects were detained during the investigation and no arrests were made. Formal complaints will be filed with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for consideration. No further information is available at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.

To report environmental crimes such as water pollution, water diversions and poaching, call the CalTIP hotline at (888) 334-2258 or text information to “TIP411” (847411).

Below are all the rest of the marijuana enforcement actions we know of with brief summaries and links to more complete stories if we have them.

Known Humboldt County Marijuana Enforcement Actions So Far in 2020:

1. On Monday, April 27: Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) Served Search Warrant in the Mattole Road Area
2. On Wednesday, April 29: Indoor Grow Raided Today
3. On Thursday, April 30: Marijuana Enforcement Team Served Search Warrant in Garberville Yesterday
4. On Friday, May 8:  878 Plants Eradicated in Redway Bust
5. On Monday, May 11: Over 17,000 Plants Eradicated at Miranda Property Today, Says Sheriff’s Office
6. On Tuesday, May 12: There wasn’t a press release but our request, Karges was able to gather some details for us. She told us,
   

   …[D]eputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served two search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Cathy’s Peak area of Honeydew. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife assisted in the service of the warrant.

   Two parcels were investigated during the service of the warrants. The parcels did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.

   During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 2,000 growing cannabis plants.

   Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.

   No arrests were made during the service of the warrant. The case will be forwarded to the DA’s Office for review.

7. On Wednesday, May 13: Citizens’ Complaints Lead to Marijuana Bust on Wilder Ridge, Says Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office 
8. On May 14, Karges said a search warrant was served in the Dinsmore area. At this point we haven’t received information on what MET discovered. We will request information again.
9. On Friday, May 15: Over 14,000 Plants and Nearly 2000 Pounds of Marijuana Found at Salmon Creek Grow, Says HCSO MET Team 
10. On May 20, Karges confirmed that there were search warrants served in Southern Humboldt but she hadn’t been able to gather details at the time we requested information. We have reports that at least one warrant was served in the Weott area. We will request information again.
11. On May 26, MET went to a Large Indoor Grow in the Weitchpec area–18,690 Plants and 818 Pounds.
12. On May 27, MET Served three search warrants on parcels without any permits in the Dinsmore area.
13. On May 29, MET eradicated approximately 58,395 growing cannabis plants on a Blocksburg property without any permits.
14. On June 3, MET eradicated about 353 plants as well as 62 grams of meth and prescription pills packaged for sales. The grow–in the area of Tobacco Road, Petrolia–did not possess any permits. One woman was cited and released. One person fled.
15. On June 4, MET served four search warrants in the Alderpoint/Rancho Sequoia area. Deputies eradicated approximately 10,299 growing cannabis plants and confiscated a ghost gun.
16. On June 5, we had a report of a convoy in SoHum but no further information. We will request information again.
17. On June 17, MET served two search warrants in the Blocksburg area. “One parcel did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially. The second parcel did not possess the required state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.” One person was cited. In addition, one trespass grow was eradicated.
18. On June 22, a law enforcement convoy went to Fruitland Ridge and to Eel Rock Road. We will request information again.
19. On June 24, MET “served two search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Mad River drainage area of Dinsmore…[D]eputies eradicated approximately 10,735 growing cannabis plants.”
20. On June 25, MET served two search warrants in the Mattole River drainage area of Honeydew. “One parcel possessed the required county permit but did not possess a state license to cultivate cannabis commercially. The other parcel investigated did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially…[D]eputies eradicated approximately 7,930 growing cannabis plants.”
21. On June 30, a convoy went to Holmes Flat in Redcrest, then to Fruitland Ridge in the Kelsey Lane area, and returned to a Salmon Creek watershed property. See this story here.
22. On July 14, MET served one search warrant at a parcel without any permits in the Shively area and eradicated approximately 2,600 growing cannabis plants. Also, “MET deputies served one search warrant at a parcel in the Honeydew area. The parcel did not possess the required state license to cultivate cannabis commercially. “[D]deputies eradicated approximately 6,900 growing cannabis plants.”
23. On July 15, MET served a search warrant at a Briceland farm that had a County permit but not a state permit and “eradicated approximately 2,000 growing cannabis plants….MET deputies also visited an additional cannabis cultivation operation in Briceland. Upon contact with the parcel owner, deputies learned the parcel had just received its state license and verified that it was in compliance with current state and local orders.”
24. On July 23 and throughout that week, MET conducted aerial investigations.
25. On July 23 in the Swains Flat area, “During the warrant, [DFW] eradicated 2,181 cannabis plants and confiscated 497 lbs of drying processed cannabis.”
26. “On July 29, 2020, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served three search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Southern Humboldt area….During the service of the warrant, deputies eradicated approximately 19,523 growing cannabis plants. Deputies also located and seized 1,599 grams of Butane Honey Oil (BHO), 596- one-pound bags of manicured cannabis bud, 288 grams of cocaine, 36 explosives and nine firearms.[And] Deputies also served two search warrants at parcels in the Shelter Cove area. During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 857 growing cannabis plants.”
27. “From August 10-12…deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served 10 search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Blake Mountain area of Eastern Humboldt County.”
28. During the week of August 17 through August 20, Met served multiple search warrants in northeast Humboldt County. “Deputies eradicated approximately 28,399 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed over 1,408 pounds of cannabis bud and approximately 5,007 pounds of drying cannabis. Deputies also located and seized eight firearms.”
29. During the week of August 24, the Humboldt County MET team working under the direction of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and also with the Trinity and Mendocino County Sheriff’s served warrants at properties on Island Mountain Road near the intersection of Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino Counties.
30. On September 2, MET served a warrant on several parcels in Shelter Cove and eradicated 408 plants.
31. On September 2, MET assisted the Department of Fish and Wildlife with serving a search warrant on a Sprowel Creek property. “During the operation, officers eradicated over 1,400 illegal cannabis plants and documented a stream diversion.Six subjects were detained during the investigation and no arrests were made.” (See above.)

(*Note: This property is near the home of this reporter)