NEWS: Authorities seize 65,000 marijuana plants in Tulare County

Seven individuals are being sought for federal arrest warrants for the cultivation of 65,000 marijuana plants found on illegal grow sites in Tulare County and for attempting to use the state’s medical marijuana laws as a cover for drug trafficking, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department reported.

The drug trafficking organization was responsible for grow sites on public lands near Badger, Eshom, Kennedy Meadows, Three Rivers and Springville as well as a private land grow site in an okra field near Ivanhoe, the Sheriff’s Department reported.

Authorities are investigating the possibility of falsified medical marijuana referrals used by the organization to grow marijuana in backyards of residences throughout Tulare County — all backyard medical marijuana grow sites associated with the group are being seized, officials reported.

Additional public land grow sites were located within Monterey, Riverside and Santa Clara counties and federal search warrants were also served in Fresno and Riverside counties.

Authorities served federal search warrants at six locations in Tulare County and multiple additional subjects involved will face state charges.

Source: South County Recorder Online