According to the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC), authorities last week seized over 30,000 cannabis plants, 2,720 pounds of weed and several firearms from an illegal cannabis cultivation site in Oakland, California. The agency estimated the illicit cannabis was worth nearly $34 million.
The plants were valued at more than $22.1 million and the cannabis flower was valued at more than $4.49 million, according to DCC agents.
Agents said an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and handgun were also seized, along with $68,841 in cash.
The two-day raid took place on January 26 and 27 at two warehouses on different sides of the city.
Lt. Miguel Félix Ibarra of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said the agency has been coordinating with the DCC regarding “high-risk search warrants” at both facilities, SFGate reported.
“This search warrant operation was part of a larger investigation into marijuana cultivation and tax evasion,” Ibarra told SFGATE in an email. “Two large warehouses on these properties have been converted into sophisticated marijuana cultivation facilities.”
On the second day of the raid, Department of Fish and Wildlife agents conducted an operation in Oakland in which officers removed 7,113 plants worth more than $5.8 million and processed more than 900 pounds of cannabis flower worth $1.49 million US dollars confiscated, a local CBS affiliate reported.
Altogether, nearly $40 million worth of illegal cannabis was seized in the three operations, officials said.
It is not clear how many people were involved in the cannabis cultivation. None of the authorities said if anyone was arrested or charged.
Last week’s operations were the latest in a series of raids targeting suspected illegal cannabis growing areas in California’s East Bay, according to CBS. Authorities reportedly seized nearly $34 million worth of cannabis at an Oakland warehouse in late January, while agents located more than $3 million worth of cannabis at a warehouse in Livermore, April 25.
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