HUMBOLDT COUNTY – On October 27, 2020, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) along with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Cal-Cannabis, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Humboldt County Code Enforcement and the Humboldt County Environmental Health and HazMat Team, served a search warrant in the Eureka and Larabee Valley areas to investigate suspected illegal cannabis cultivation.
Four parcels were investigated during the service of the warrant. The parcels did not possess the required state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.
During the service of the warrant, law enforcement officers eradicated approximately 12,857 growing cannabis plants and seized and destroyed more than 1,828 pounds of cannabis bud and more than 127 pounds of cannabis shake.
“Illegal cannabis cultivation can harm our environment and put neighboring communities at risk for crime,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “By enforcing California cannabis cultivation laws, officers are protecting those conducting legal cannabis cultivation as well as consumers who purchase cannabis.”
Assisting agencies found the following violations:
- Water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
- Water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
- Depositing trash in or near a waterway violations (up to $20,000 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 DA’s Office for review.
