Josephine Co. seeks state help to curb illegal pot grows

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – A sheriff in a county in southwest Oregon is asking for money from the state to investigate illegal marijuana operations, saying his department lacks the resources to do so.

The Daily Courier newspaper of Grants Pass reports Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel is asking the state for $648,000 to help fund a team of detectives.

A bill passed by the Legislature this year assists cities and counties with costs incurred by local law enforcement agencies in addressing unlawful marijuana cultivation or distribution operations.

Daniel says illegal marijuana operations can hide as legal ones, and can go undetected without a task force dedicated to finding them.

Both recreational and medical marijuana production and sales are legal in Oregon, subject to licensing and regulation.