Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office press release: 

 

On Sept. 26, 2018, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) served three search warrants to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in the Whitethorn area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Humboldt County Environmental Health and HAZMAT Unit, the California State Water Board and the Humboldt County Planning and Building Department assisted in the service of the warrant.

The parcels investigated were located in the Bridge Creek Upper Mattole watershed and did not possess the required county permit and state license to cultivate cannabis commercially.

During the service of the warrants, deputies eradicated approximately 4,671 growing cannabis plants. Deputies seized and destroyed over 255 pounds of drying cannabis. Deputies also discovered evidence of a butane hash oil lab.

Assisting agencies found the following violations:

• Two water diversion violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Eight stream crossing violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Two streambed alteration violations (up to $8,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Seven water pollution violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Four depositing trash in or near a waterway violations (up to $20,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Failure to label hazardous waste violation (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Failure to close hazardous waste containers violation (up to $70,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Failure to establish a Hazardous Materials Business Plan violation (up to $5,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Commercial cannabis ordinance violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Grading without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Building without a permit violations (up to $10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Failure to report waste discharge into waters of the state violations (up to $1,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Discharging waste without a permit violations ($5,000-$10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Dredging/Filling without a permit violations ($5,000-$10,000 fine per day, per violation)
• Streamside management violations
• Sewage violations
• Junk cars violations

Additional violations with civil fines are expected to be filed by the assisting agencies.

No arrests were made during the service of the warrants.

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