A tip from a local ranch owner and a multi-agency investigation has led to the arrest of two Mexican Nationals and the eradication of more than $9,000,000 worth of Marijuana in northern Lassen County near Horse Lake and Pete’s Creek.
According to details released by the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, a local ranch owner reported that his employees pushing cattle near Pete’s Creek and Snowstorm Mountain discovered a large number of marijuana plants. After seeing the plants, the employees left the area and reported this sighting to law enforcement.
A joint effort between the Lassen County Narcotics Task Force and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife led to an investigation into the grow site, which was estimated to be up to a mile in length.
“Due to the large scale of the grow,” explains Sergeant Kevin Jones, “the North State Marijuana Investigation Team out of Redding was called in to assist in the investigation and eradication of the possible grow.”
NSMIT is a task force comprised of law enforcement agents of; US DEA, California DOJ, California National Guard, BLM, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office, Trinity County Sheriff’s Office and the US Forest Service.
In the early morning hours of August 7th, members of the Lassen County Narcotics Task Force, multiple personnel from the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, Agents of NSMIT, Wardens of California Fish and Wildlife, Fish and Wildlife K-9 teams along with a member of the Susanville Police and a member of the Susanville Area California Highway Patrol, converged on the area from multiple directions.
After entering the grow area, members of the teams discovered many marijuana plants and two individuals who were living at the site, maintaining the marijuana. The two were identified as Antonio Perez, age 35 and Jose Brrijos, 22; both of Iona, California. The two were taken into custody without incident.
Continuing the investigation, over 12,000 plants were eradicated in the grow site along with evidence of irrigation and living supplies, along with chemicals found to be illegal in the United States for any purpose. The grow spanned over one mile in length, bordering the creek bed.
The two suspects were taken into custody and will be transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshals for prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s office for marijuana cultivation of over 10,000 plants. According to Sergeant Jones good quality Marijuana plants typically yield ½ pound of processed product. Based on the number of plants, the eventual street value of this grow is well in excess of $9,000,000.
Jones added that the resources dedicated to this operation by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the N.S.M.I.T. Task Force played an integral part in its success. “We appreciate all the effort and manpower put forth by both these agencies and all the agencies that participated.”