Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office recently released the latest statistical data on illicit drug seizures made during 2017.
Operating primarily on private property using search warrants, the Siskiyou Interagency Marijuana Investigation Team conducted a series of counter-drug operations in unincorporated areas of Siskiyou County, mostly in the Shasta Vista area, Klamath River Country Estates in the Hornbrook area, Weed, Lake Shastina, Montague, Big Springs, Mt. Shasta Forest, Mt. Shasta, and Iron Gate (Copco Lake area), seizing approximately 21,758 illicit cannabis plants.
The 103 search warrants served by SIMIT also resulted in the seizure of 3,046 pounds of processed cannabis, 23 firearms, and 3 THC extraction or "BHO" labs (concentrated cannabis).
During the counter-drug operations, a number of greenhouses, growing nurseries, outdoor cultivation sites, and two indoor illicit cannabis grows were eradicated. Numerous criminal cases are being prepared for submission to the Siskiyou County District Attorney.
Most recently, SIMIT served 16 search warrants on Sept. 28 and 29 in the Mt. Shasta Vista area, which resulted in the seizure of at least 1,600 illicit cannabis plants and processed marijuana. Due to the volume of the processed cannabis, the tabulation of illegal products, found mostly in plastic baggies in preparation for transportation and sale, is still underway.
An entire block of illegal cannabis cultivation sites were seized by SIMIT detectives, County Code Enforcement Officers, and a team of Siskiyou County Public Works personnel during the two day operation.
The illicit cannabis plants are worth an estimated $261,096,000 on the retail drug market with a three pound per plant yield. The processed cannabis is estimated to be worth at least $12,184,000 on the illegal retail drug market.
According to Sheriff Jon Lopey, "We are still seeing large-scale illicit cannabis grow sites in many county areas and these recent operations prove there is still a large-scale effort by many illegal growers to violate the law and existing county guidelines, which do not permit more than 12 medical cannabis plants. These 12 plants are required to be grown in an approved indoor structure. There is also mounting evidence of large-scale, organized crime efforts to finance the numerous illicit grow sites that have been observed or eradicated. On one site in the Yuba Mate Lane area, 2,985 illegal cannabis plants were seized on one parcel. On August 31, 2017, SIMIT and other SCSO deputies and volunteers assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on a bribery, corruption, and drug trafficking case that netted a total of 13 arrests and over 1,000 illegal cannabis plants. The main suspect in that case is still in custody and it is anticipated he and a co-conspirator will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney in the Eastern District."
The SCSO and the Siskiyou County District Attorney's Office formed SIMIT during 2016 and the team has assumed the primary mission of enforcing drug-related laws and the county's marijuana ordinance on private property. The difference between this and last year is the fact that the team is getting an early start on enforcing violations of cannabis cultivation laws and the corresponding county ordinance.
Thus far during 2017 and during the previous year, SIMIT investigators have encountered environmental damage inflicted by growers, including downed trees, garbage, raw sewage, illegal water diversions, chemicals and fertilizers used in cultivation sites, and other adverse impacts. Illegal campfires on land parcels have been detected along with a number of fire hazards associated with debris piles, fuels, and hazardous substances. CAL FIRE law enforcement officers have cited many fire hazard-related violations during several counter-drug operations.
According to Sergeant Jeremiah LaRue, "Major impacts of these illegal marijuana cultivation sites also include but are not limited to improper grading, human waste, run-off sediment, nutrients and fertilizers leaching into the soil and watershed; improper site development, illegal road construction, run-off into streams, rivers, and lakes, illegal stream bed alterations, water thefts, and other public health and environmental concerns that adversely impact water quality and natural habitats, potentially harmful to birds, fish, other animals."
As a reminder to all citizens, the marijuana ordinance adopted by the county does not allow outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana plants in county areas and limits growers to 12 plants, which must be cultivated in a separate indoor structure meeting county specifications and requirements. It is important to note that it is estimated these illegal, outdoor marijuana sites, on private property alone, are expending up to 3 million gallons of water a day. According to Sheriff Lopey, "I would also like to remind my fellow citizens that we are not seeking enforcement against legitimate medical marijuana users or recreational growers in compliance with recently-passed Proposition 64, as long as those citizens comply with the law. Under Prop 64 or the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, recreational users of cannabis may possess up to six plants and 28.5 grams of processed marijuana."
Another task force, the California Department of Justice-led North State Major Investigation Team (NSMIT), a regional team working with the United States Forest Service (USFS) and other federal, state, and local agencies, is tasked with curtailing illegal marijuana grow sites on public lands. NSMIT, including a detective sergeant from SCSO, is investigating illicit cannabis cultivation sites on public land (mostly USFS) areas of Siskiyou County and additional counter-drug enforcement operations are planned in the near future. NSMIT has also detected hazardous chemicals that threaten the environment in public land grows during their productive 2016 enforcement season. NSMIT worked with the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), a federal, state, and local team that conducted a series of drug raids in public land areas within the last month and most recently, this week in the Humbug area of the Klamath National Forest. To date, about 86,600 illegal cannabis plants have been eradicated and several arrests made. The plants seized, based on a three pound yield, could have resulted in about $1,039,200,000.00 ($1 billion+) in illicit retail drug proceeds on the streets.
According to Sheriff Lopey, "We appreciate the information and support we are receiving from the Siskiyou County residents impacted by these illegal cultivation sites. I urge any citizen or group to contact me or another departmental leader if they have any questions about our existing ordinance or lawful provisions of criminal law related to cannabis cultivation. Our ultimate goal is to gain voluntary compliance from non-compliant inhabitants of the county."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Siskiyou law enforcement agencies continue cannabis cultivation fight - News - Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA - Yreka, CA
Contact: Contact - Yreka, CA - Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA
Photo Credit: Luis Sinco
Website: Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA: Local & World News, Sports & Entertainment in Yreka, CA
Operating primarily on private property using search warrants, the Siskiyou Interagency Marijuana Investigation Team conducted a series of counter-drug operations in unincorporated areas of Siskiyou County, mostly in the Shasta Vista area, Klamath River Country Estates in the Hornbrook area, Weed, Lake Shastina, Montague, Big Springs, Mt. Shasta Forest, Mt. Shasta, and Iron Gate (Copco Lake area), seizing approximately 21,758 illicit cannabis plants.
The 103 search warrants served by SIMIT also resulted in the seizure of 3,046 pounds of processed cannabis, 23 firearms, and 3 THC extraction or "BHO" labs (concentrated cannabis).
During the counter-drug operations, a number of greenhouses, growing nurseries, outdoor cultivation sites, and two indoor illicit cannabis grows were eradicated. Numerous criminal cases are being prepared for submission to the Siskiyou County District Attorney.
Most recently, SIMIT served 16 search warrants on Sept. 28 and 29 in the Mt. Shasta Vista area, which resulted in the seizure of at least 1,600 illicit cannabis plants and processed marijuana. Due to the volume of the processed cannabis, the tabulation of illegal products, found mostly in plastic baggies in preparation for transportation and sale, is still underway.
An entire block of illegal cannabis cultivation sites were seized by SIMIT detectives, County Code Enforcement Officers, and a team of Siskiyou County Public Works personnel during the two day operation.
The illicit cannabis plants are worth an estimated $261,096,000 on the retail drug market with a three pound per plant yield. The processed cannabis is estimated to be worth at least $12,184,000 on the illegal retail drug market.
According to Sheriff Jon Lopey, "We are still seeing large-scale illicit cannabis grow sites in many county areas and these recent operations prove there is still a large-scale effort by many illegal growers to violate the law and existing county guidelines, which do not permit more than 12 medical cannabis plants. These 12 plants are required to be grown in an approved indoor structure. There is also mounting evidence of large-scale, organized crime efforts to finance the numerous illicit grow sites that have been observed or eradicated. On one site in the Yuba Mate Lane area, 2,985 illegal cannabis plants were seized on one parcel. On August 31, 2017, SIMIT and other SCSO deputies and volunteers assisted the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation on a bribery, corruption, and drug trafficking case that netted a total of 13 arrests and over 1,000 illegal cannabis plants. The main suspect in that case is still in custody and it is anticipated he and a co-conspirator will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney in the Eastern District."
The SCSO and the Siskiyou County District Attorney's Office formed SIMIT during 2016 and the team has assumed the primary mission of enforcing drug-related laws and the county's marijuana ordinance on private property. The difference between this and last year is the fact that the team is getting an early start on enforcing violations of cannabis cultivation laws and the corresponding county ordinance.
Thus far during 2017 and during the previous year, SIMIT investigators have encountered environmental damage inflicted by growers, including downed trees, garbage, raw sewage, illegal water diversions, chemicals and fertilizers used in cultivation sites, and other adverse impacts. Illegal campfires on land parcels have been detected along with a number of fire hazards associated with debris piles, fuels, and hazardous substances. CAL FIRE law enforcement officers have cited many fire hazard-related violations during several counter-drug operations.
According to Sergeant Jeremiah LaRue, "Major impacts of these illegal marijuana cultivation sites also include but are not limited to improper grading, human waste, run-off sediment, nutrients and fertilizers leaching into the soil and watershed; improper site development, illegal road construction, run-off into streams, rivers, and lakes, illegal stream bed alterations, water thefts, and other public health and environmental concerns that adversely impact water quality and natural habitats, potentially harmful to birds, fish, other animals."
As a reminder to all citizens, the marijuana ordinance adopted by the county does not allow outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana plants in county areas and limits growers to 12 plants, which must be cultivated in a separate indoor structure meeting county specifications and requirements. It is important to note that it is estimated these illegal, outdoor marijuana sites, on private property alone, are expending up to 3 million gallons of water a day. According to Sheriff Lopey, "I would also like to remind my fellow citizens that we are not seeking enforcement against legitimate medical marijuana users or recreational growers in compliance with recently-passed Proposition 64, as long as those citizens comply with the law. Under Prop 64 or the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, recreational users of cannabis may possess up to six plants and 28.5 grams of processed marijuana."
Another task force, the California Department of Justice-led North State Major Investigation Team (NSMIT), a regional team working with the United States Forest Service (USFS) and other federal, state, and local agencies, is tasked with curtailing illegal marijuana grow sites on public lands. NSMIT, including a detective sergeant from SCSO, is investigating illicit cannabis cultivation sites on public land (mostly USFS) areas of Siskiyou County and additional counter-drug enforcement operations are planned in the near future. NSMIT has also detected hazardous chemicals that threaten the environment in public land grows during their productive 2016 enforcement season. NSMIT worked with the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), a federal, state, and local team that conducted a series of drug raids in public land areas within the last month and most recently, this week in the Humbug area of the Klamath National Forest. To date, about 86,600 illegal cannabis plants have been eradicated and several arrests made. The plants seized, based on a three pound yield, could have resulted in about $1,039,200,000.00 ($1 billion+) in illicit retail drug proceeds on the streets.
According to Sheriff Lopey, "We appreciate the information and support we are receiving from the Siskiyou County residents impacted by these illegal cultivation sites. I urge any citizen or group to contact me or another departmental leader if they have any questions about our existing ordinance or lawful provisions of criminal law related to cannabis cultivation. Our ultimate goal is to gain voluntary compliance from non-compliant inhabitants of the county."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Siskiyou law enforcement agencies continue cannabis cultivation fight - News - Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA - Yreka, CA
Contact: Contact - Yreka, CA - Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA
Photo Credit: Luis Sinco
Website: Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA: Local & World News, Sports & Entertainment in Yreka, CA
