Calaveras Enforcers Eradicate $ 7 Million In Illegal Plants, Pot
San Andreas, CA – Calaveras County illegal marijuana grow busters eliminated four illegal grows this week roughly worth $7 million and arrested one alleged grower/dealer.
According to sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Greg Stark, on Tuesday, the Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) served a search warrant for illegal marijuana cultivation at a residence in the 1000 block of Hubbard Lane in Sheep Ranch. There, they located an outdoor grow site, seized 890 marijuana plants and just over 42 pounds of processed marijuana with a rough street value estimate of $932,000.
They also arrested 25-year-old Kyle Kendall of Mountain Ranch at a nearby location and booked him into the Calaveras County Jail for illegal cultivation, maintaining a drug house and possession of marijuana for sale). He received a $30,000 bail.
On Wednesday, a search warrant was served two properties in the 1000 block of Summit Level Road in Mountain Ranch. Investigators found active outdoor and greenhouse growing operations and seized 891 marijuana plants, estimated at $1.1 million. While the suspects were not onsite at the time of the warrant, evidence seized from the scene is still under investigation.
On Thursday, the largest grow from this week’s crop of warrant searches was discovered at a residence and property in the 100 block of Railroad Flat Road in Railroad Flat, wherefrom an outdoor operation the team eradicated 5,225 marijuana plants, roughly valued at $5.2 million.
According to Stark, this was the third search warrant service at the property in three years. While the suspects were not there at the time of the MET visit, the team seized evidence and continue to investigate the operation.
Variables used to provide rough street value estimates are as follows: between $1,300 and $2,000 per plant and half-pound of pot when from an indoor grow; $1,000 to $1,500 per plant and pot per pound yielding from greenhouses; $700 to $1,000 per plant and processed pot per pound from outdoor operations.
Stark recently shared midyear statistics on the MET efforts, which estimated that so far this year, team members have taken out at least $36 million in illegal pot.
