Authorities Remove Estimated 85,632 Pounds Of Processed Cannabis From Vacant El Mirage Parcel
EL MIRAGE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — San Bernardino County enforcement teams removed an estimated 85,632 pounds of processed cannabis from a vacant parcel in El Mirage after authorities served a warrant Sept. 23, according to a written statement from the county.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and Code Enforcement served the warrant at the property, where officers discovered the large amount of processed cannabis. All of the material at the site required removal and destruction.
Additional staff, trucks and trailers were brought in to assist with the operation, allowing crews to complete the removal in one day. County officials said completing the work that day eliminated the need for overnight security and reduced operational impacts.
Because of the amount of cannabis discovered, Code Enforcement requested assistance from its Rapid Response Program, which is designed to provide additional resources for complex code enforcement operations.
San Bernardino County Code Enforcement’s Cannabis Unit, part of Land Use Services, works with the Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Enforcement Team to investigate illegal cannabis cultivation in unincorporated areas of the county.
More information about the Cannabis Unit is available through the county’s Cannabis Enforcement Program.
The partnership between the two agencies has developed over the past decade as enforcement teams have adapted to changes in illegal cultivation methods and enforcement needs.
Investigators identify suspected illegal cannabis operations through several sources, including reports from the public, information from other agencies and scouting in unincorporated areas.
Members of the public can submit information through the Sheriff’s Department’s WeTip program.
Code Enforcement and the Sheriff’s Department also coordinate with other agencies when investigations require additional resources, including the California Department of Cannabis Control, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and San Bernardino County Fire Protection District’s Hazmat team.
According to the county, the Code Enforcement Cannabis Unit has investigated more than 1,550 cannabis-related cases during the past decade.
The Cannabis Unit also works with the Nuisance Abatement Program within the Land Use Services Code Enforcement Division. That program addresses abandoned or noncompliant properties that can contain remnants of cannabis grow structures, unpermitted construction, hazardous electrical or plumbing work and debris.
Abatement efforts can include inspections, notices, contractor coordination, warrants and cleanup. Costs are billed to property owners, and unpaid fees can result in liens or special assessments.
More information about San Bernardino County Code Enforcement, Land Use Services and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is available on their respective websites.
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