Sheriff Rod Mitchell said his agency worked with state and federal authorities – including the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and U.S Customs – on the search warrant service as part of an investigation involving drugs and weapons.
The investigation grew out of a traffic stop in Laytonville last week in which 100 pounds of marijuana were seized, Mitchell said.
Officials served search warrants simultaneously in Mendocino and Lake counties, he said.
In Lake County, Mitchell said, “It was a very rural, remote location where the warrant was served,” near the Landrum Ranch, which is east of Clearlake Oaks on Highway 20. Staging for the agents and deputies involved occurred at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks.
“We assisted with getting the search warrant and then the state officials took it over based upon everything we were able to find,” he said.
Late Friday, state Department of Justice officials were not able to provide additional information on the investigation, which was being handled by the DOJ's Bureau of Investigation.
He said at one of the two locations where warrants were served, 37 guns were seized.
Along with large amounts of cash – specific numbers were not immediately available – Mitchell said eight arrests resulted.
Seven of the suspects were taken by ICE to Yuba County for detention, while one was to be booked locally, he said.
The teams of agents and deputies remained at the locations late in the day, he said.
Based on the results of the search warrant seizures, Mitchell said it was anticipated that further warrants would result.
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