12K marijuana plants, 3K pounds of pot seized in Oregon

EAGLE POINT, Ore. (AP) — More than 12,000 marijuana plants in 32 greenhouses were seized from a marijuana grow site in southern Oregon on Thursday, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.

A search warrant was served by Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team detectives along with Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies at a rural property in Eagle Point at about 6:45 a.m., officials said in a statement.

The property contained the cannabis plants and 3,000 pounds of processed marijuana, sheriff’s officials said.

Seven workers at the site were detained, interviewed, and released, officials said.

The grow site had been under investigation for a month and there was no licensing for any type of cannabis growing, handling, or processing, according to the sheriff’s office.

A primary suspect has been identified, the sheriff’s office noted.

Citations from county code enforcement totaling $67,000 were also issued for unapproved greenhouse structures, unapproved marijuana production, and unpermitted electrical installations, the sheriff’s office said.

The statement also said unauthorized well water use for commercial crop irrigation was observed and is subject to civil and criminal penalties.

The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team is a multi-agency task force in the Rogue Valley paid for by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission.