The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, in a multi-agency operation, has seized nearly 13,500 marijuana plants and more than 1,900 pounds of processed marijuana from six unlicensed cultivation sites in northern Lassen County. The raids, which took place during the week of September 2nd through 5th, were the result of an investigation launched in July by the Sheriff’s Office and Lassen County Code Enforcement.
A Coordinated Investigation and Operation
The investigation began after authorities flew over several suspected locations and confirmed that marijuana was being actively grown without proper licenses from the state or county. Based on this evidence, personnel from the Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the California Department of Justice’s Eradication & Prevention of Illicit Cannabis unit executed search warrants on six separate properties.
Environmental and Public Safety Concerns
During the execution of the search warrants, authorities discovered and destroyed 31 unpermitted structures used to support the growing operations. They also found thousands of pounds of garbage and dangerous pesticides. A significant concern was the diversion of water from nearby streams, which negatively impacts local ecosystems.
In addition to the illegal cultivation, officers recovered five firearms from the sites.
According to LCSO Sergeant Michael Loflin, the property owners of record will face significant tax liabilities based on the size of each grow. The investigation is ongoing, with detectives actively working to identify and prosecute those responsible for the illegal operations.
“Detectives from the Sheriff’s Office are committed to bringing those responsible for the illegal grows to justice,” Sergeant Loflin concluded. He also thanked the various agencies that assisted in the operation, including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Lassen County Code Enforcement, Lassen County Environmental Health, Lassen County Road Department, California Highway Patrol – Air Operations Division and EPIC.
