Humboldt Co. Sheriff Press Release:

On 04-18-2012 at about 1030 hours Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agents intercepted a package that was being sent to Michael Thomas Kus age 24, who lived at a residence in the 3300 block of Glenn Street, Eureka. The package contained $5,000 dollars in US Currency. DTF Agents at about 1105 hours went to Kus’s residence on Glenn Street to inquire about the $5,000 dollars. When DTF Agents approached the residence they could detect a strong odor of marijuana emitting from the residence.

DTF Agents then knocked on the front door and a few moments later Kus opened the door. DTF Agents explained to Kus that they had located $5,000 dollars in a package being sent to him at this address. Kus said that he had no knowledge of the $5,000 dollars. DTF Agents asked Kus if he was growing marijuana in his residence and he replied, no.

Based on the smell of marijuana coming from the residence, DTF Agents secured the residence for a search warrant and detained Kus. At 1:30 pm a search warrant was obtained for the residence. DTF Agents then searched the residence. DTF Agents located four rooms in the residence that had been converted to an indoor marijuana growing operation. Agents seized 593 growing marijuana plants that ranged in size from 4’ to 3’ in height. Agents located a .45 caliber handgun, $ 12,740 dollars in cash, four pounds of processed marijuana and a ¼ pound of hash in the residence. Agents located a marijuana hash lab in the residence that was using butane to extract the oil from marijuana.

Agents noticed an electrical wiring hazard related to the indoor marijuana growing operation. Agents then contacted the City of Eureka Community Improvement Team, who responded to the residence to inspect the electrical wiring in the marijuana grow rooms. The Community Improvement Team after inspecting the electrical wiring contacted PG&E to disconnect the power to the residence, because of a possible fire hazard.

Kus was arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales and manufacture of a controlled substance. ( Hash lab). Kus’s bail has been set at $500,000 dollars.