SLO Sheriff busts two illegal cannabis grows
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office arrested five people during raids at two illegal cannabis operations in northern San Luis Obispo County.
The raids were performed on July 30 and 31 at illegal cannabis grows located in the area of Parkhill Road and Huer Huero Road in a remote area east of Santa Margarita. The sites trespassed on property that did not belong to the growers.
Detectives from multiple law enforcement agencies harvested thousands of cannabis plants that were in various stages of growth that were being illegally cultivated at the site.
These illegal sites were spotted by members of the Sheriff's Cannabis Enforcement Unit a few days earlier during a surveillance mission.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office says that evidence recovered at the scenes indicate both grow sites may be part of a Mexican National cultivation operation.
The sheriff's office says these illegal operations are also hazardous to environment as the growers often use chemicals and pesticides on the plants; a container of a dangerous toxic pesticide called carbofuran was found at the site. These sites also generate large amounts of trash, the sheriff's office said.
Nearby water sources were also affected and diverted by the grow operation. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct a full investigation into the ecological impact from these sites.
About 5,000 pants were confiscated from the sites. The sheriff's offices says the retail value of these plants could exceed $5 million if the plants were allowed to mature.
Five weapons were also seized during these raids including a fully automatic AK47-style assault rifle with a 30-round magazine and 100-round drum style magazine.
Law enforcement arrested five people in connection to these illegal cannabis sites.
Carlos Martinez Espinoza, 35, and Antonio Mendoza Alvarado, 26, were arrested. Both are from Delano. Alvarado had a criminal history with ties to a Delano street gang, the sheriff's office said.
36-year-old Santa Maria man Hector Fernando Zepeda Miranda was also arrested as were Jaime Rivera Mercado, 44, of Stockton and Benjamin Rivera Mercado, 42, of Lodi.
All five men were arrested and booked into the San Luis Obispo County jail for various felonies associated with these cannabis sites. All five were released within eight hours, due to the zero-bail emergency policy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
