10-20k Count Indoor Bust

[vta]

Gigantic Gaviota Ganja Farm

Two Arrested as Sheriffs Raid Arguably Biggest Indoor Grow in County History

Thanks to a tip, Santa Barbara County sheriffs discovered a massive and impressively sophisticated indoor marijuana grove on the Gaviota Coast Thursday morning, August 12.

Located essentially within Dos Pueblos Ranch (but, specifically, the illicit operation was taking place on a 50-acre parcel not under the same ownership as the surrounding ranch) the grow boasted roughly 10,000-20,000 plants and several hundred pounds of trimmed and ready to sell “very high-grade” bud.

According to Sheriff’s spokesperson Drew Sugars, the final tally of cannabis seized is not yet available, as deputies are still working the area. Even without the official numbers, Lieutenant Sonny LeGault with the Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit opined in the wake of the raid, “This is by far the most elaborate indoor and greenhouse marijuana operation I’ve ever seen, and I have been on more eradications than I can count.”

Arrested during the raid were Kelvin Kelley and John Dodson; the duo are both charged with felony cultivation and felony possession of marijuana for sale. Kelley was also charged resisting arrest. Both men were booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on $30,000 bail. “Based on the size of the grow, we expect there may be more arrests coming,” added Sugars.

Specifically, the grow was taking place in nine separate greenhouses and assorted outbuildings on the site that was once the home of the Dos Pueblos Orchid Company. Basically an island of private property within the larger DP Ranch, Sugars explained that it appears neither the DP property owners nor the owners of the actual parcel where the grow was located knew anything about the illegal farming.

According to Sugars, the total street value of the marijuana seized is “at least $40 million.

Link to Video and Pics...Check it out

 

[PoopyTeaBags]

wow that sucks... fucking bullshit

 

[Andyo]

Get bailed

Get bailed

Get someone to post bail and fly guys.A

 

[BirdManFlyHigh]

Get someone to post bail and fly guys.A

lol

 

[bubblebert]

I heard this on NPR the other day, how the fuck to generalize 10,000-20,000 plants? That's a big margin to be guessing in. I feel bad for these guys but $30,000 bail ain't bad for $40 million in pot, haha

 

[cody2white]

I wonder who tipped them. Shitty

 

[mrdizzle]

thats insane

 

[amannamedtruth]

What a shame.

 

[wilburn]

A shame? Not necessarily. This may be a shot in the proverbial arm for Prop 19. Look at the potential tax revenue. How many people never realized the quality and quantity of cannabis that can be grown, simply, effectively and without any fuss or muss?

The landowners, who had nooooooooo idea <snarkle> what was going on have no accountability. No property tax increases, no sharecropper's tax revenues.

Maybe what this says is that cannabis cultivation on a large scale is not only doable...but done. What's left to prohibit? What's left to gain?

 

[Phedrosbenny]

And thats a whole bunch of MJ that wont be coming into our communitys for the Mom and Pop operations to have to compeat against.Sorry somebody got busted,but im for Mom and Pop.

 

[CherChezLaGhost]

Fuckin Snitches. Just fuck everything up. They weren't bothering nobody. No guns found, people who owned it had no idea, so obviously they were respecting the property. I mean damn where is the crime. Its a shame. They probably were contributing a lot of $ to the local economy.

 

[OMountainMix]

A $40 million dollar harvest, minus expenses, still probably would land those dudes in the 25% income tax bracket. That's a lot of money lost for the govt by making this illegal. Money talks. We can hope that the idea of this money being taxed and STAYING IN THE US on all levels would be a giant plus in the pro-pot column. Then again, I'm sensible, and politicians are not.

 

[OldPork]

You can tell the cops are assholes just in the way they are tossing those precious plants in a heap like garbage. Real assholes.

 

[Cutty]

the grow boasted roughly 10,000-20,000 plants

I love this one, they allude that their margin of error is about 10 000 plants....so maybe they had 20 000 or maybe they had none!

How can experienced officers estimate so badly?

I have been on more eradications than I can count

Sheesh, it's like saying I think I have 1 000 in the bank or maybe 2 000. My car gets 25 MPG, or maybe even 50 MPG.

Estimating and doubling amounts is reckless, it would turn my nice girlfriend into a whore!

 

[rubbanutz420]

Sounds like they had the PERFECT place to do a big grow....To bad about the piggys ruined it.....I wish I had a fucking Island set up with greenhouses, all under the title of a Orchid farm...sounds like that place had potential....fucking narcs fucked it all up....BOO Narcs.....Fucking Buzz Killers.

 

[GMT]

cutty, the large margin of error on the numbers expressed in the first quote you state, is explained perfectly by the second.

 

[Marshall]

cutty, the large margin of error on the numbers expressed in the first quote you state, is explained perfectly by the second.

oh shit, that was funny.


Damn that is a huge bust.


I have seen a few videos of large busts taken down. Why do these dumb ass cops spend all day tearing down a grow with all their gear, guns, belts, etc? Sure when they enter and search but hours later? Do they expect someone to jump out? I would loose all the extra gear if I was destined to do grunt work for 2-3 days.


And nobody knew? What did the landowner think was going on? What did the surrounding property owner think?



what a shame. cool op

 

[wilburn]

Whether it is 10,000 or 50,000 plants, a grow this large has to know it is going to be caught. It's in the business plan. With the number of employees and the coming and going of countless trucks and cars, it was only a matter of time.

Who cares? I doubt the owners of the grow care. They will sacrifice their help (the two arrested is my bet).

The landowners? Wouldn't be surprised if this was their mastermind. Hire a couple of dweebs to make payroll and oversee the grow, on occasion show up, keep their distance and suddenly "disappear" when the cops make the hit.

Faked lease, with fake Lessees, real rent being paid, this grow was bought before it was harvested. Trucks from the Mafia or whomever pay by weight, in cash, to the dweebs who hustle the money to the landowner's.

Hey, when the landowners have had a few million, they rat on themselves. Why? How long can they get away with stupid? Have their lawyers call the LEO, make the deal for no prosecution, set the stage for the bust, just the right time to catch only those who are at least one or two layers removed from the landowners. Voila!

Instant innocence, plausible deniability.

 

[wilburn]

Btw, did anyone notice all the extension cords laying around everywhere? No professional electricians involved there.

 

[Phedrosbenny]

Whether it is 10,000 or 50,000 plants, a grow this large has to know it is going to be caught. It's in the business plan. With the number of employees and the coming and going of countless trucks and cars, it was only a matter of time.

Who cares? I doubt the owners of the grow care. They will sacrifice their help (the two arrested is my bet).

The landowners? Wouldn't be surprised if this was their mastermind. Hire a couple of dweebs to make payroll and oversee the grow, on occasion show up, keep their distance and suddenly "disappear" when the cops make the hit.

Faked lease, with fake Lessees, real rent being paid, this grow was bought before it was harvested. Trucks from the Mafia or whomever pay by weight, in cash, to the dweebs who hustle the money to the landowner's.

Hey, when the landowners have had a few million, they rat on themselves. Why? How long can they get away with stupid? Have their lawyers call the LEO, make the deal for no prosecution, set the stage for the bust, just the right time to catch only those who are at least one or two layers removed from the landowners. Voila!

Instant innocence, plausible deniability.

And this is why im for Mom and Pop operations.