Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

 

On July 25, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served four search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Rancho Sequoia area of Southern Humboldt. The following agencies assisted in the service of the warrants: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, California State Water Board and Humboldt County Planning and Building Department.

Four parcels were investigated during the service of the warrants. The parcels did not possess nor were in the process of actively obtaining a commercial cannabis permit with the County of Humboldt.

During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 22,427 growing cannabis plants. Deputies also seized and destroyed approximately 24.5 pounds of processed cannabis and approximately 184 pounds of cannabis shake.

Between the four parcels, assisting agencies found the following violations:

• Five water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Two depositing trash in or near a waterway violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Three water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Two failure to submit a hazmat business plan violations (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Failure to prevent a hazardous waste release (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Failure to report a hazardous waste release (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Failure to label hazardous waste (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Mismanagement of lead acid batteries (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Failure to take spill prevention control or counter measures (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Discharge of waste oil onto land (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Failure to have secondary containment on a diesel tank (up to $70,000 fine per day)
• Commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day)
  Multiple improper storage and removal of solid waste violations (up to $25,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Multiple grading without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Multiple building code violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• No arrests were made during the service of the warrants. Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.

Anyone with information about these cases or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.