On Thursday, July 22, 2021, at approximately 7:00 a.m., Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s Marijuana Enforcement Team, with the assistance of deputies from the Sheriff’s Fallbrook Crime Suppression Team, deputies from the Sheriff’s Valley Center Crime Suppression Team, detectives in the Sheriff’s Special Investigations Division, and members of the Special Enforcement Detail (SED), served a search warrant on the 12000 block of Sierra Rojo Road in Valley Center.
The warrant was part of an investigation by Sheriff’s Detectives of illegal marijuana cultivation and sales in San Diego County. During the execution of the warrant, two Tetrahydrocannabinol, (THC) extraction labs were discovered on the property. THC extraction labs are highly explosive, unpredictable, and pose a great danger to the general public. Detectives also discovered hazardous materials on the property, which is not uncommon for investigators to find at THC extraction labs. These hazardous materials may enter the local ground water supply and streams, creating extreme environmental hazards. Due to THC labs being highly explosive and containing numerous hazardous materials, the San Diego County’s Hazmat Team responded to the property and seized several hazardous materials.
During the service of the search warrant, detectives located an eight-year-old child living on the property near the THC extraction lab. Due to the proximity of the young child to the THC extraction lab and the illegal marijuana cultivation, personnel from San Diego Child Protective Services Drug Endangered Children responded to the property, to evaluate the welfare of the child.
Detectives seized 111 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of approximately $45,000 dollars, $9,100 dollars in U.S. currency, multiple containers of marijuana wax, three ounces of cocaine, a small number of chopped psilocybin mushrooms, several rounds of shotgun ammunition, several rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, and multiple other items used in a THC extraction lab from the Valley Center property.
A criminal complaint will be filed with the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
Marijuana cultivation sites such as these are often the source of products unsafe for human consumption, which are sold at illegal dispensaries in our communities. Investigators believe the marijuana at the Valley Center grow site was destined for unlicensed Southern California marijuana dispensaries.
The warrant follows community concerns about illegal marijuana operations near schools and residential areas. We want to assure those we serve know the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is listening to the community and recognizes the negative impact illegal marijuana grows have on our neighborhoods.
Media Contact: Sgt. Kamon Harris
Kamon.Harris@sdsheriff.org
