Several tons of cannabis seized in Monterey County

By Josh Copitch Felix Cortez

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    SALINAS, California (KSBW) — A week-long crackdown on illegal cannabis operations has led to several tons of cannabis being seized in Monterey County.

Large-scale operations involving the sheriff’s department and the District Attorney’s Office led to more than 3.5 tons of illegal pot plants confiscated during the crackdown.

One of the largest illegal grow operations was found in Chualar Canyon where roughly 300 pounds of processed illegal pot was uncovered.

Also at that location was an illegal Butane lab that required the bomb squad to be called in. Law enforcement said they target these illegal, unlicensed operations in large part to protect consumers.

“The reason we expend resources, energy, time to go after illegal cultivations is to protect the public number one to ensure that the product that they use is tested most of the time what we find is the product taken off these illegal cultivations contains toxins, heavy metals pesticides,“ said Greg Peterson, a Monterey County prosecutor.

Another reason for the crackdown on illegal operations is to level the playing field for those licensed operations that pay large fees for permits and are regulated.

No arrests were made yet and the cases are still open investigations that may lead to arrests and or large civil fines.

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