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Dozens of large trash bags allegedly containing illegal cannabis occupy an unpermitted building in Oak Hills earlier this month. | Photo courtesy of San Bernardino County
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San Bernardino County and state authorities seized a over 45 tons of processed cannabis worth more than an estimated $100 million, the largest cannabis seizure in the county’s history, officials announced earlier this month.
Authorities discovered the large quantity of illegal cannabis at an Oak Hills residential property in the 5000 block of Honeyhill Road and removed and destroyed the seized marijuana in two days, according to a county statement.
The record bust involved the county code enforcement and sheriff’s departments and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The case originated in November, when the Code Enforcement Department received a complaint about a large, unpermitted structure being constructed on the property in Oak Hills, officials said. County authorities received a second complaint about a strong cannabis odor.
Code Enforcement Officer Tyrone Cooper and Senior Officer Keith Bloomer from the agency’s Cannabis Enforcement Unit scheduled an inspection of the property to investigate the complaints. Code Enforcement investigated the alleged unpermitted building, and the cannabis-related allegations were referred to the sheriff’s Marijuana Enforcement Team.
On Dec. 9, sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at the Oak Hills property along with code enforcement’s cannabis unit to address alleged code violations. The search led to the discovery of a large stockpile of cannabis stored inside the unpermitted structure. The massive amount of cannabis led sheriff’s investigators to request additional assistance from code enforcement for the removal work.
With direction from sheriff’s department officials, code enforcement’s Rapid Response Team mobilized four trailer rigs and five additional officers to assist with cannabis removal. Personnel from the sheriff’s department, state fish and wildlife department and code enforcement worked together to clear the property. By the end of the first day, approximately two-thirds of the cannabis had been removed. The Rapid Response Team returned the following day with five trailers to complete the operation.
“We are proud of the professional and efficient response from our Code Enforcement team,” David Jorgenson, code enforcement’s cannabis team supervisor, said in a statement. “Their ability to mobilize quickly and provide the necessary equipment and skilled staff was critical to the success of this operation.”
Code Enforcement Chief Ignacio Nunez said in a statement, “Our focus is on identifying and addressing violations of county and building codes to ensure the safety of our communities, while the Sheriff’s Department leads investigations into criminal violations. This partnership allows us to tackle complex cases like this efficiently and effectively, each agency bringing its expertise to the table for the greater good of San Bernardino County.”
The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.
