LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Earlier this week the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force eradicated 5,974 marijuana plants from a parcel of property located in the Lower Lake area earlier this week.
Lt. Steve Brooks said that on May 22 narcotics detectives conducted an overflight mission of the Lower Lake area.
The purpose of these missions is to locate illicit marijuana growing operations within Lake County. During the overflight, detectives located a large-scale growing operation in the area of Morgan Valley Road and Sloan Ranch Road, Brooks said.
On Sunday, narcotics detectives and law enforcement officers from the Bureau of Land Management hiked into the marijuana grow site, where Brooks said they located evidence indicating the grow was being operated by a drug trafficking organization.
Brooks said it appeared that the suspects were not yet living at the site full-time. Detectives located a complex drip irrigation system which utilized timers to automatically water the plants.
It appeared that the suspects were illegally obtaining water from BLM property, according to Brooks. Brooks said detectives located and eradicated 5,974 marijuana plants, which were all approximately 4 feet tall.
They searched the area and were unable to locate any suspects or additional evidence which would assist in their identification. The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.