Humboldt Co. Drug Task Force’s Press Release:

On 06-11-2012 at about 0900 hours a Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agent received a telephone call from a Detective with the Reno Police Department in Nevada. The Detective told the Drug Task Force Agent that they had contacted a subject named Joshua Waldrop age 38 in Reno, Nevada on a train. The Detective advised that Waldrop had approximately $100,000 dollars in cash in his belongings. The Detective relayed that Waldrop told them that he lived on Dutch Lane in Arcata, California. Waldrop told the Detective that he was growing marijuana on his property in Arcata. Waldrop was taken into custody by the Reno Police Department for money laundering charges.

Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agents along with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Deputies then responded to Waldrop’s residence located off the 100 block of Dutch Lane, Arcata. A search warrant was obtained for the property by a Superior Court Judge in Humboldt County. No one was located on the property.

Agents located a sophisticated commercial indoor marijuana growing operation in the garage and in a small trailer on the property. Agents seized 722 growing marijuana plants that ranged in size from 4 inches to 18 inches in height from the two structures. Agents seized approximately 40 pounds of processed marijuana from a drying shed.

When Agents searched Waldrop’s residence they located a butane extraction hash lab. Agents located approximately 1/8 ounce of cocaine in the residence. Agents seized $6,200 dollars in cash and 17- one ounce gold coins from a safe in the residence for possible asset forfeiture.

Agents contacted the Humboldt County Building and Planning Department, because of a possible electrical fire hazard associated with the indoor marijuana growing operation. Humboldt County Building and Planning Department then responded to the scene and determined that there was a fire hazard. PG&E was then contacted and they disconnected the electrical service to the residence.

An arrest warrant will be submitted to the Humboldt County District Attorney’s for Waldrop’s arrest for the following charges: cultivation and possession for sales of marijuana, possession of cocaine, and for manufacturing of a hash lab.

This case is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force and the Reno Police Department.