Mariposa County Illegal Pot Grows Led to Raid In Neighboring County
Mariposa County, CA – The raid on two unlawful marijuana grows in Mariposa County resulted in a bust in Stanislaus County.
We reported last week that two people were arrested and more than 3,500 pot plants were seized after searches on two illegal grows in Greeley Hill. This week, the sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served another search warrant at a residence in Ceres.
Inside the house, deputies uncovered several pounds of processed marijuana, seized $15,680 in cash, and retrieved six firearms, including assault rifles and pistols. Deputies discovered an outdoor marijuana grow behind the residence, as well as a shop completely equipped for indoor growth, complete with more processed marijuana and growing equipment. One man, Javier Espindola, was arrested and handcuffed at the scene.
Sheriff’s officials note that they often get comments from the public regarding why these raids are taking place when marijuana is legal in California. They explained that these are not little recreational growers. These are black market activities that involve uncontrolled pesticides, polluted rivers, firearms, criminal networks, and environmental degradation, harming neighborhoods, animals, and forests.
“When you peel back the layers of these operations, you’re not just dealing with illegal plants; you’re uncovering networks of crime that have no regard for safety, the environment, or the law,” stated Sheriff Jeremy Briese, adding, “I’m incredibly proud of the hard work our MET Team continues to put in to uphold our vow of community safety and protect the people of Mariposa County.”
