by: Vivian Chow
Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:07 PM PST
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Millions of dollars worth of illegal marijuana plants were seized in San Bernardino during a recent crackdown.
Five search warrants led to the seizure of around $2.5 million in illegal marijuana plants, said the San Bernardino Police Department.
The warrants targeted illegal marijuana grows and distribution which uncovered multiple large-scale operations, authorities said.
“Overall, 6,572 plants were destroyed, 812 pounds of marijuana recovered and over $2,000 in cash was seized,” officials said.
The estimated street value of the illegal plants was approximately $2.5 million dollars, police said.
Images released from the bust operations show several warehouses fully stocked with tons of illegally cultivated cannabis plants.
“Officers also located a functional and pressurized butane honey oil extraction lab that was secured and later dismantled by the San Bernardino County IRNET team,” police said.
Multiple agencies were involved in the crackdown including San Bernardino Code Enforcement, San Bernardino Animal Control, California Department of Cannabis Control, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Tax and Fee Administration, U.S. Army National Guard, and Southern California Edison.
Earlier in 2022, a statewide marijuana crackdown was led by the California Department of Justice’s Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program.
During that program, authorities seized nearly one million illegally cultivated cannabis plants and over 200,000 pounds of illegally processed cannabis in the state, according to the California Attorney General’s Office.
Counties across Northern, Central and Southern California were targeted over the course of 449 operations. Along with illegal cannabis, authorities also seized 184 weapons and removed almost 67,000 pounds of cultivation infrastructure, including dams, water lines, and containers of toxic chemicals.
“California has the largest safe, legal, and regulated cannabis market in the world, but unfortunately illegal and unlicensed grows continue to proliferate,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“These illegal operations have a devastating impact on our environment and the health and safety of communities and public land users,” said Karen Mouritsen, California State Director for the Bureau of Land Management.
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