Five raids on Klamath, Jackson County illegal marijuana operations turn up about 25,000 plants, police say

BEATTY, Ore. (KTVZ) – Five more raids of alleged illegal marijuana grows Thursday in Klamath and Jackson counties led to the seizure of nearly 25,000 marijuana plants, but no arrests were reported by authorities.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants at two properties located near Beatty, after surveillance showed numerous temporary greenhouse containing what appeared to be an illegal marijuana grow operation, Public Information Officer Brandon Fowler said.

As deputies arrived, several people ran into a wooded area and could not be found. After the raids confirmed the illegal marijuana grow, “deputies oversaw the complete destruction of the plants and grow operation,” Fowler said.

The two locations yielded a combined total of 13,300 illegal marijuana plants in various stages of maturity. Deputies also found ground water to irrigate the marijuana, which deputies believe was destined for markets outside the area and carried an estimated value in excess of $60 million.

Meanwhile, the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Team, assisted by the Interagency Marijuana Enforcement Team of the Medford Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, served three related illegal marijuana search warrants.

Troopers said the investigation resulted from evidence that marijuana was being illegally exported from Oregon on the black market.

More than 5,000 plants and about 500 pounds of processed marijuana were seized from 26 large greenhouses and destroyed at a large illegal marijuana cultivation farm in Eagle Point, OSP said.

At the same time, two search warrants were served at two industrial warehouses on Trout Way in Medford, where troopers said nearly 6,400 marijuana plants were seized from sophisticated, illegal indoor hydroponic marijuana growing operations and destroyed.