MORE MARIJUANA GARDENS BUSTED IN COUNTY

A week after more than 25,000 illegal marijuana plants were chopped
down in Tulare County, officers with the Tulare County Sheriff's
Department S.T.E.P. team cleared out two more gardens this week.

A total of 1,503 plants were chopped down and destroyed this week, 903
at a garden in the 25300 block of Avenue 102, about a mile from the
4,000 plant garden busted July 26 in the Terra Bella area, and 600
plants in the Alpaugh area.

A caller to The Recorder reported another marijuana garden bust on
Kilroy Road in Poplar on Tuesday, but the sheriff's office did not
report that incident.

Illegal marijuana gardens have sprouted all over the Valley floor this
summer, many presented as medical marijuana gardens, but with far more
plants than the medical recommend letters allow, say officials.

In early June, TCSD detectives received complaints from citizens about
a suspected marijuana garden on Road 102 in Terra Bella.

Detectives conducted an overflight and observed a large marijuana grow
in a football-sized field which was surrounded by an 8-foot high dirt
berm. On Tuesday, members of the S.T.E.P. team raided the garden.

Detained there was [name redacted], 40 of Bakersfield. Authorities said
that Rosales had a medical marijuana recommendation allowing him to
have 99 plants, but they found far more. Another person not present at
the time had a recommendation at the property allowing 12 plants.

Detectives counted 296 mature marijuana plants. They then searched the
residence and found that four rooms had been turned into indoor grow
rooms with an additional 607 healthy mature plants. Also located
inside the residence were four loaded firearms, including two illegal
assault weapons, high capacity magazines, camouflage clothing, a large
amount of ammunition for the firearms, scales, packaging and a large
amount of cash.

They said the grow site was covered with a video surveillance system
and they found several large dogs. [name redacted] was also found to
have a captive owl which was turned over to Fish and Game.

A total of 903 marijuana plants were eradicated. If allowed to mature
the plants would have produced in excess of 903 pounds of marijuana at
street value of more than $2.7 million.

Two men were arrested at the Alpaugh site where they found 600 plants.
Arrested were [name redacted], 29 of Lompoc, and [name redacted], 21
of Aberdeen, Wash. The potential value of that garden was $1.8 million.

All three men were charged with cultivation of marijuana and
possession for sales.