New State Cannabis Task Force Raids Illegal Grows In Tuolumne County

DCC photo

Jupiter, CA. — The area of Jupiter in Tuolumne County was one of the first targets of California’s newly formed Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF), which carried out raids on several illegal grows there.

As first reported by Clarke Broadcasting on Tuesday, several callers reported a heavily armed law enforcement presence in the Columbia area last week, specifically near the unincorporated community of Jupiter, as detailed here. While sheriff’s officials confirmed they assisted in the investigation, they referred us to the state’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) for further information. When contacted, they replied, “We do not comment on open investigations.”

In a press release from Governor Gavin Newsom’s office today, we learned more about the Jupiter raids. It stated that on October 4^th, the task force conducted an operation in a rural area of Jupiter in Tuolumne County targeting unlicensed outdoor cultivation operations. According to DCC, “Nine search warrants were served during this multi-agency operation. Officers eradicated 11,260 illegal cannabis plants and destroyed 5,237 lbs. of illegally processed cannabis flower, worth an estimated retail value of more than $15 million.”

Additionally, DCC Deputy Director of Public Affairs Maria Luisa Cesar also told us that officers seized one ghost gun and Tuolumne County Animal Control rescued several abused dogs living in “unfavorable conditions.” Cesar also relayed that there were several environmental violations documented, including “cultivation location impeding or diverting waterways; hazardous materials and other chemical pollutants dumped within and around waterways, directly threatening wildlife and communities; and large-scale ground-disturbing activities that create sediment that harms natural resources during the rainy season.”

Cesar noted that cases resulting from the raids will be turned over to the Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution and, where appropriate, the California Attorney General’s Office for additional penalties. The task force is led by the DCC law enforcement division and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).

“These illegal grows can be detrimental to our state’s fish and wildlife resources and their habitats,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “Several environmental violations were documented on this operation, including sediment that would impact Eagle Creek during the next rain and hazardous materials that can be lethal to local wildlife. This newly created task force is poised to address these harmful grows from a coordinated approach because they violate so many facets of our state laws.”

In June, Governor Newsom directed the creation of this new multi-agency, cross-jurisdictional task force that is now working together to address illegal cannabis operations that include transnational criminal organizations.

“California is taking immediate and aggressive action to stop illegal cannabis and strengthen the burgeoning legal market throughout the state,” said Governor Newsom. “By shutting down illegal grow sites and applying serious consequences to offenders, we are working to curtail the criminal organizations that are undercutting the regulated cannabis market in California.”

The following agencies assisted in the Jupiter raids: Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, Tuolumne County Probation, Tuolumne County Code Enforcement, Tuolumne County Animal Control, Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team, Western El Dorado County Narcotics Enforcement, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California State Water Resources Control Board, California Department of Industrial Relations, CALFIRE, U.S. Department of Forestry, and the California National Guard.