Kern County Drug Bust and Underground Grow

[RitcheyRch]

These guys had a pretty interesting set-up underground.


On August 6, 2024, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA), executed a search warrant on an illegal underground marijuana grow operation that was discovered in the desert area north of Boron, California. Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife/Cannabis Enforcement Program (CEP), the Eradication and Prevention of illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force and officers from the Kern County Probation Department assisted in the execution of the search warrant and the arrests of 3 suspects found to be involved in operating the illegal marijuana grow.

During the search warrant 2 suspects attempted to flee from the underground grow operation and were quickly apprehended by assisting law enforcement personnel.

17,650 marijuana plants were eradicated from within the underground grow rooms and approximately 1,069 pounds of processed marijuana was seized. The underground operation consisted of numerous buried seatrains with a sophisticated electrical and ventilation/cooling systems operating off a large diesel-powered commercial generator.

Members of Kern County Code Compliance responded and during their investigation found numerous code violations and major safety concerns with the illegally buried marijuana grow operation. Based on the violations, the structures/outbuildings and underground seatrains on the large property were deemed unsafe for occupancy and posted by Kern County Code Compliance.
The following subjects were arrested for maintaining a place for drug sales, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, resisting arrest, disturbed earth, trash stockpile and illegal discharge of water related to marijuana cultivation and conspiracy to commit a crime. All subjects were transported and booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Lerdo Justice Facility.
Qingxue Zhang, (age 57) from China, CN
Siyun Cao, (age 32) from Quizo, China
Xiyyu Zou, (age 53) from China, CN

 

[Angler]

These guys had a pretty interesting set-up underground.


On August 6, 2024, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA), executed a search warrant on an illegal underground marijuana grow operation that was discovered in the desert area north of Boron, California. Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife/Cannabis Enforcement Program (CEP), the Eradication and Prevention of illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force and officers from the Kern County Probation Department assisted in the execution of the search warrant and the arrests of 3 suspects found to be involved in operating the illegal marijuana grow.

During the search warrant 2 suspects attempted to flee from the underground grow operation and were quickly apprehended by assisting law enforcement personnel.

17,650 marijuana plants were eradicated from within the underground grow rooms and approximately 1,069 pounds of processed marijuana was seized. The underground operation consisted of numerous buried seatrains with a sophisticated electrical and ventilation/cooling systems operating off a large diesel-powered commercial generator.

Members of Kern County Code Compliance responded and during their investigation found numerous code violations and major safety concerns with the illegally buried marijuana grow operation. Based on the violations, the structures/outbuildings and underground seatrains on the large property were deemed unsafe for occupancy and posted by Kern County Code Compliance.
The following subjects were arrested for maintaining a place for drug sales, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, resisting arrest, disturbed earth, trash stockpile and illegal discharge of water related to marijuana cultivation and conspiracy to commit a crime. All subjects were transported and booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Lerdo Justice Facility.
Qingxue Zhang, (age 57) from China, CN
Siyun Cao, (age 32) from Quizo, China
Xiyyu Zou, (age 53) from China, CN

Fuck those gummie makers...

 

[napanutt]

Quite the operation there.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Another example of what’s coming across the border unchecked.

 

[500bbc]

These guys had a pretty interesting set-up underground.


On August 6, 2024, at approximately 8:30 a.m., the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA), executed a search warrant on an illegal underground marijuana grow operation that was discovered in the desert area north of Boron, California. Wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife/Cannabis Enforcement Program (CEP), the Eradication and Prevention of illicit Cannabis (EPIC) task force and officers from the Kern County Probation Department assisted in the execution of the search warrant and the arrests of 3 suspects found to be involved in operating the illegal marijuana grow.

During the search warrant 2 suspects attempted to flee from the underground grow operation and were quickly apprehended by assisting law enforcement personnel.

17,650 marijuana plants were eradicated from within the underground grow rooms and approximately 1,069 pounds of processed marijuana was seized. The underground operation consisted of numerous buried seatrains with a sophisticated electrical and ventilation/cooling systems operating off a large diesel-powered commercial generator.

Members of Kern County Code Compliance responded and during their investigation found numerous code violations and major safety concerns with the illegally buried marijuana grow operation. Based on the violations, the structures/outbuildings and underground seatrains on the large property were deemed unsafe for occupancy and posted by Kern County Code Compliance.
The following subjects were arrested for maintaining a place for drug sales, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sales, resisting arrest, disturbed earth, trash stockpile and illegal discharge of water related to marijuana cultivation and conspiracy to commit a crime. All subjects were transported and booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Lerdo Justice Facility.
Qingxue Zhang, (age 57) from China, CN
Siyun Cao, (age 32) from Quizo, China
Xiyyu Zou, (age 53) from China, CN

They just comes heres to werk...you RACISTS!!!

 

[monkeyswrench]

Impressive setup. If they would have left the containers more intact, could have made a nice bunker setup. They had obviously been there for a while, and had some big money put into it.

 

[Xtrmwakeboarder]

Someone has been watching The Gentleman… haha

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

They will just get deported and come back again to start all over. Slap on the wrist.

 

[TimeBandit]

Buried sea trains?

Shipping containers?

That is impressive to say the least.

 

[YeahYeah01]

Surprised they bother going under ground. Most are just out in the open.

 

[Kachina26]

Pretty close to the Mojave air base, wonder what else they were up to.

 

[FCT]

I picked up a couple 40’ containers on some reservation land out in Mecca that was a huge grow operation. The Asians they had living in these little tiny box’s with no AC no normal restrooms or anything. It was disgusting and literally slavery they had going. I’ve never seen anything like it. I wanted to take pictures but I was escorted on the land and was watched like a hawk because I was not allowed to have my phone out while I was inside the operation. Im guessing they are slaves to whoever got them into the USA

 

[Dog]

This is happening all over the US. I see weekly stories of Asians here in Oklahoma getting "raided" for illegal grow operations.

 

[Outdrive1]

It shouldn’t be illegal to grow weed. Who gives a shit.

 

[Dog]

It shouldn’t be illegal to grow weed. Who gives a shit.

In states where it is "legal" it is a money grab, they didn't pay for the proper permits. But also it is a safety issue. Here they burn to the ground often and usually are "illegal". People die sometimes.

Nothing different from your normal illegal drug operation really, robberies, shootings, fires, "illegal dumping", etc. it's all a nuisance.

 

[dread Pirate]

Haven't seen anything like that since the 90's!

I think something like 70% of the legal farms in Humboldt have gone under. The taxes, fees and market value doesn't work out. Pretty much handed the business to the corporate world and took it from the mom & pop locals. Watching the towns die off makes you realize how much of the economy was actually supported by it.

 

[DLC]

But but but….

Pot is legal….

 

[Done-it-again]

If there were anything like the Asian operation that had the building next to us, you wouldn't know until you smelled it. The f'er's are ninjas and can build anything without knowing and fast.

6,000 sf feet mezz with rooms built out of wood. 20 ac units mounted on the roof, 2 generators the size of small SUVs all wiring and plumbing.. never heard anything.

Only saw a few people. Men, women and kids, like off the boat type.

 

[dread Pirate]

There's a subdivision in Trinity County called Trinity Pines. 5-10 acres parcels that were sold cheap during the green rush. Chinese and Hmong people bought in and grew on most of the parcels. The area is disgusting and trashed now. Burned out cars on the roads, crime and pollution. You see these ranch houses where people have lived for generations logging and working in the area now surrounded by a post appocolptic landscape. It's fucked up to drive through and you really have to feel for the locals who once lived in a beautiful place.

 

[DarkJuJu]

We replaced the Italian mob and Mexican mob with the Chinese mob. Why fiddle with the risks of importing drugs when you can just grow pot easily anywhere

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/21/illicit-cannabis-china-00086125

 

[stonehenge]

The only good thing about it being legal, is that it keeps the market between legal & illegal cost to the retail customer fairly competitive.

Its still fun to buy from the "local" folks, and still convenient to just drop in a shop and buy it across the counter.

But with the ease of legal sales, and the upcharge to cover the overhead of permits, tax etc., makes it fairly pricey. However it forces the street to keep their pricing competitive. Colorado has been dealing with this since it went legal years ago. Now other states are in the same boat.


But I know many of the illegal grows still sell to the legal companies, so its all going into the same bong, just semantics.



I miss some of the Humbolt stuff, fairly natural, and very delicious. Hate their politics, loved the weed.

 

[JUSTWANNARACE]

People were buring shipping containers years ago. Nothing new. At least they were being "green" and using LED lighting it was a bitch to keep them cool back in the HPS and Metal Halide days

 

[wzuber]

There's a ton of money in development costs there alone and fairly well built from the photos. I wonder how deep they go w/ the containers? Crazy what people will try to do for a not so ez buck.

 

[NicPaus]

My Buddy had a similar setup in Humboldt 20 years ago. He set a few plants out in the natural sun to get rid of mites or fungus I don't remember. But they flew over that day and saw them. Sent a few ground troops in and they spotted his diesel generator. Then they started probing the ground. It was 4 or 6 shipping containers buried. Back when the good shit was worth 4k a pound wholesale.


My other buddy just called me a few days ago. He walked away from a huge grow operation he had for 20 years. Owner raised the rent again and it was a losing operation with overhead Costa so high. Sold off the grow containers. The shipping containers worked well to conceal it from the landlord yearly walk thrus. And you could move locations if needed. He was barely getting 800 a lb for the top of the line batches.

 

[TimeBandit]

I sent a link to the article to a grower, He said yeah, the Chinese grow the cheap shit and cause fires.

But still, he was amazed at the size of the grow.

 

[YeahYeah01]

It shouldn’t be illegal to grow weed. Who gives a shit.

So here is the issue. Some random people pick a location in the middle of desert, start a grow operation. Then they get raided or maybe they dont but they dont stay long term but never clean up after. Then someone complains and turns out that land is owned by someone that had NO idea there was a grow op on there location, but now the county code enforcement steps in to tell you to clean to it, but most don't, now they call in a contractor to clean it on prevailing wage and it costs alomst as much as the land to clean it, and then it goes to auction with a tax lien. On top of that it is horrible the mess these people leave behind including pesticides and other hazmat items.

 

[2Driver]

Another example of what’s coming across the border unchecked.

Exactly. The shit show that is going to be amongst us is only beginning to show.
Chinese infiltrated Navajo lands during covid and set up grows in Riparian areas. Once busted they stayed in town. You are on the Rez and ask yourself why are all these Chinese people here

 

[YeahYeah01]

The prevalence is insane and it's destroying the desert areas... Some examples.

 

[Javajoe]

My SIL has a pretty big legal operation growing and distributing and says some of the big legal boys are hurting. Not sure if it’s the economy or the black market or both.

 

[Done-it-again]

My SIL has a pretty big legal operation growing and distributing and says some of the big legal boys are hurting. Not sure if it’s the economy or the black market or both.

It’s the consumer cost when adding in all the state taxes, so the price per pound tanks to make up for it from what it was when illegal.

Then throw in the regulations for being legal and your product cannot cross a state line. I’ve heard CO has TONS as in many many metric TONS of product that can’t sell as the market is flooded and it cannot be sold to dispensaries outside CO.

 

[Taboma]

The prevalence is insane and it's destroying the desert areas... Some examples.

I'm surprised somebody hasn't grabbed those water Tote Tanks.

 

[YeahYeah01]

I'm surprised somebody hasn't grabbed those water Tote Tanks.

Sometimes they do. Sometimes there's big ass 2500 gallon tanks. It's hit or miss.

 

[mjc]

It shouldn’t be illegal to grow weed. Who gives a shit.

The state who wants the taxes that is who.

 

[SoCalDave]

People were buring shipping containers years ago. Nothing new. At least they were being "green" and using LED lighting it was a bitch to keep them cool back in the HPS and Metal Halide days

LMAO...almost spit out my ...