Malnourished horses, cattle found at illegal marijuana grow near Oregon City

OREGON CITY, Ore. (KTVZ) – A raid on an illegal marijuana grow south of Oregon City found not just nearly 3,000 marijuana plants and about 1 ½ tons of processed marijuana and stolen property but more than a dozen malnourished horses and cattle, Oregon State Police said Thursday.

OSP’s drug enforcement Northwest Region Marijuana Team served search warrants Tuesday on South Criteser Road, having begun an investigation after finding 22 greenhouses not registered to grow hemp or licensed to grow marijuana.

During the road, investigators found nine horses and four cattle that were malnourished and in need of veterinary care, OSP said. The Oregon Humane Society and the nonprofit Sound Equine Options responded to help document animal evidence and take possession of the horses and cattle.

The investigators recovered stolen property including two tractors, a track hoe, a travel trailer, a heavy-haul trailer, a pickup and an SUV, troopers said. The team also seized a Lamborghini sports car as a suspected proceed of the marijuana-growing operation.

Investigators contacted eight people living in several locations around the roughly 75-acre property. OSP said the case and potential felony marijuana and animal neglect charges will be referred to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office.