Sophisticated, Multi-Million Dollar Marijuana Grow Discovered In Ventura County

An 80 acre parcel off Grand Avenue outside Fillmore is the site of an ongoing investigation by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

On Friday deputies swept in and gave NewsChannel 3 an exclusive look at the sophisticated, multi-million dollar marijuana grow containing thousands of plants in eight large greenhouses, complete with electricity and temperature controlled devices.

Ventura County Undersheriff Gary Pentis said one portion of the property is registered to an owner in Los Angeles; a ranch below that is registered to a second owner out of Texas.

Pentis said the investigation stems from illegal cultivation and illegal delivery of pot grown at the site, destined for Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

“The thing that’s striking … is that they’ve taken water, it appears, out of the natural resource off the mountain which is totally illegal,” Pentis said. “We’ve called Fish and Wildlife, they’ve launched an investigation. They’ve (the owners) actually made no attempt to adhere to California state law for medicinal marijuana.”

Pentis pointed out that medicinal marijuana signs were posted on the property and the Texas owner was working to sell the marijuana to buyers in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Sheriff’s officials are actively looking for the people involved. So far, no word of an arrest.