Three Illegal Cannabis Grows Raided Yesterday, Says MET

This is a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The information has not been proven in a court of law and any individuals described should be presumed innocent until proven guilty:Humboldt County Sheriff and Marijuana feature

On June 23, 2021, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served three search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Willow Creek area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Environmental Health – HazMat Unit and Humboldt County Code Enforcement assisted in the service of the warrants.

Three parcels were investigated during the service of the warrant. 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 3,880 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed over 1,449 pounds of processed cannabis.

At one parcel, deputies located evidence of bear poaching. At another parcel, deputies found that the illegal cannabis cultivation operation was being powered by a large diesel generator. The generator’s exhaust had been tunneled underground, causing a burned area within the nearby forest from the hot exhaust exiting at ground level.

Assisting agencies found the following violations:

  • Poaching (FG 2000)
  • Failure to label hazardous waste violations (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)
  • Failure to establish a hazardous materials business plan (HMBP) (up to $5,000 fine per day, per violation)
  • Failure to prepare a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plan (up to $5,000 fine per day, per violation)
  • Failure to obtain authorization to store or dispose of hazardous waste (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)
  • Failure to acquire an EPA ID number (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)

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 Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.

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.

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Emerald
Guest
Emerald
2 years ago

And another one bites the dust. Better luck next time. It’s not always easy.

quit screwing the environment
Guest
quit screwing the environment
2 years ago

generator people should get max charges

Perspective
Guest
Perspective
2 years ago

LOL! The county has “permitted” tons of diesel grows!

Trashman
Guest
Trashman
2 years ago

Get some.

Me
Guest
Me
2 years ago

What ever happened with that bust out in Whitethorn a few weeks ago?

Yeah,sure
Guest
Yeah,sure
2 years ago
Reply to  Me

And Alderpoint weeks and weeks ago and Reed Mt. may 26th. I wonder why some busts are released to news and some aren’t.

Susan Vandermeer
Guest
Susan Vandermeer
2 years ago
Reply to  Yeah,sure

Obtain the case numbers and follow court dates online. Having worked in a DA office, the volume is staggering at times and felony cases can go a long time. As for press releases, again the amount of cases is huge and not practical to announce. Just my thoughts on the topic.

capt obvious
Guest
capt obvious
2 years ago
Reply to  Me

why you think rippers have been shooting people all week?

still have to deliver the weed you got taken by the man to organized cartels or else

North west
Guest
North west
2 years ago

Many many more to go.
Our water drainages can’t handle big grows during a drought.

So hum native
Guest
So hum native
2 years ago
Reply to  North west

Sure they can.. just ask our supes

Buster
Guest
Buster
2 years ago
Reply to  So hum native

There is no drought…it’s all a big lie!

Water Protector
Guest
Water Protector
2 years ago
Reply to  So hum native

the supes and director seem to be experts in hydro geology.Sarcasm….
And potential lawsuit

Fined to the moon
Guest
Fined to the moon
2 years ago

These fine amounts are so ridiculous nobody could/would pay them. So what then actually occurs ? Replanting is my best guess !

Just wondering were all the no money gos
Guest
Just wondering were all the no money gos
2 years ago

I don’t under stand ,they keep busting all these grows but no one ever gets arrested,and they have all these fines they charge the growers,but then they say the state has no money,or the county’s need more funding,and there’s not anough to get things done or fixed,such as roads,housing,schools what ever. Where does all the money from all those so called fines go? What is all that money being spent on,& by who exactly? Plus we’re does all that money that does come from those who do pay for permits go? If u add up all these busts day in & day out with all the fines there are supost to pay,plus how many permits people pay for each year is a hole lot of money.U would think we would have great roads,bridges,schools builder, housing for every one,extra…

Nimby
Guest
Nimby
2 years ago

Actually the State of California has a huge budget surplus right now and It looks like Newsom is going to mail out checks to every Californian in a couple of months. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article252207413.html

Taxman
Guest
Taxman
2 years ago

Few of these fines have been collected.
Many will be attached as liens on the properties, and if there is a big mortgage on the property the fines will never be collected. People will forfeit ownership rather than pay the fines.

Farce
Guest
Farce
2 years ago
Reply to  Taxman

Liens don’t change the property’s ownership. Only forfeiture does. And that won’t happen for years. The only logical thing to do is to keep replanting over and over. The sun, soil and water are still there and now they have locked you into the one thing they said they were stopping! Government at work….

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
2 years ago
Reply to  Farce

War is hell and when in Rome, lol. Capitalism is not just for corporation’s.

JB
Guest
JB
2 years ago
Reply to  Taxman

Tax liens get legal priority over all other debt and liens, including mortgages.

Farce is correct that tax lien sales will take years.

Mariahgirl
Guest
Mariahgirl
2 years ago

Where in Willow Creek were the busts and poaching?

Obviously
Guest
Obviously
2 years ago
Reply to  Mariahgirl

in Trinity County. Duh.

Mariahgirl
Guest
Mariahgirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Obviously

[edit] As a Willow Creek resident it’s nice to know where the busts occur.

Fredm
Guest
Fredm
2 years ago
Reply to  Mariahgirl

Up hill from end of patterson.

Mariahgirl
Guest
Mariahgirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Fredm

It’s about time they did something about that area! The way the trucks drive on Patterson and Horse Linto is bad and both go through residential areas with kids and animals on both. In that area it could have been on forest service land and the bear could have been the one that people were photographing in their yards.

Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
Guest
Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
2 years ago

No such thing as an illegal grow. Anyone can and should be able to grow marijuana or opium poppies or coca plants for their own use. Drug use is a victimless crime.

The crime is militarized LEO unleashed on the citizenry by corrupt politicians.

End the war on drugs now!

Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
Guest
Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
2 years ago

And end the persecution of hard working honest American citizens.

Environment
Guest
Environment
2 years ago

Dude,

These illegal grows are why our forests and rivers are being destroyed.

Wish ppl cared more about the environment instead of lining their pockets.

Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
Guest
Jim’s Guest Is Someone Else’s Wife
2 years ago
Reply to  Environment

Good point. Being fully able to grow what ever drugs people want to take does not mean destroying the environment or growing on property other than your own.

My intent is that people should be able to grow and ingest anything they want. Drug use is a victimless crime.

If there were no laws, rules or regulations pertaining to drug use and no persecution of citizens for it, the money would evaporate, thus precluding the greed and need to “blow up” a scene.

Thank you for offering a sensible observation.

Local Farmer
Guest
Local Farmer
2 years ago
Reply to  Environment

“These illegal grows are why our forests and rivers are being destroyed. ”
Cannabis enforcement is the only reason there are big illegal and environmentally destructive grows. A cycle perpetuated for 50 years now, with zero progress made after billions of tax payers dollars wasted. It’s obviously worse now than ever before but somehow people keep cheering for law enforcement.
Zero progress made after 50 years!

Local Farmer
Guest
Local Farmer
2 years ago
Reply to  Local Farmer

“Wish ppl cared more about the environment than lining their pockets.”
Ya me to dude, but you know the saying,
Wish in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up first.
You give too much credit to humans.