New Cannabis Task Force Was Investigating In Tuolumne County

Columbia, CA — Clarke Broadcasting received multiple reports of a heavily armed law enforcement presence in the Columbia area last week, specifically near the unincorporated community of Jupiter.

It was reportedly in relation to illegal marijuana grows. We reached out to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, who confirmed they were involved in the investigation but forwarded us to the state’s Department of Cannabis Control for comment.

The agency’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Maria Luisa Cesar, reported back, “The Department of Cannabis Control engages in cannabis enforcement activities across California to protect communities, the environment, and support the regulated cannabis market. We do this work with local law enforcement, other state agencies, and federal partners. We do not comment on open investigations.”

She did note that a press release was sent out last week that announced the creation of a new multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional taskforce combatting, “illegal cannabis operations and transitional criminal organizations.” The task force is co-chaired by the Department of Cannabis Control and the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and is coordinated through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES).

In it, Mark Ghilarducci, the Director of CAL OES, states, “We cannot allow harmful, illicit cannabis operations to lay waste to the environment or threaten our communities. We are bringing together the combined law enforcement resources of our state, local and federal agencies in a coordinated enforcement action against these bad actors and criminal organizations.”

Charlton Bonham, the Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, also adds, “Unfortunately, criminal organizations are impacting these areas by exploiting some of our most pristine public lands and wildlife habitats as grow sites for cannabis.”

We’ll pass along more information, if it becomes available, regarding last week’s activity in the Jupiter area.