MT. SHASTA - On August 2, 2019, the North State Major Investigation Team (NSMIT), a regional drug task force that is led by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) conducted a counter-drug operation on a parcel of land near State Route 89 just outside Mt. Shasta. The operation resulted in a large seizure of illegally grown marijuana and the arrest of six suspected members of a foreign drug trafficking organization (DTO). Law enforcement officers seized 1,556 illegal marijuana plants that were being grown in three large greenhouses. A nearby marijuana processing site in the woods was located and 147 pounds of processed marijuana were recovered at various stages of processing in preparation for illegal transportation and sales.

When NSMIT entered the property, three to four suspects ran from the scene into the nearby wooded area. Six male suspects were apprehended and later booked for illegal cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale. Two grams of methamphetamine were also recovered from vehicles at the illegal marijuana cultivation site.

NSMIT is a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team led by an elite, specially-trained DOJ Bureau of Investigations’ Special Agent in Charge.

“It is imperative that law enforcement officers investigate the illegal cultivation of marijuana in this state for numerous reasons, including protecting legitimate businesses, the environment and neighboring communities,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “I’m relieved they were able to go in and make the arrests they did with no conflict leading to the injury of any officers.”