June 24, 2008
Federal agents and personnel for Operation Southern Sweep expect to be in Humboldt County for a few days to deal with 29 warrants all connected to one group of people and their large-scale commercial marijuana cultivation and distribution, FBI special agent Joseph M. Schadler said.
The investigation kicked off two years ago by the California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement and the FBI joined in the investigation shortly after, he said.
Operation Southern Sweep was initiated around 7 a.m. this morning and agents and personnel for the sweep have been coming into the area for the last several days.
“There was some accuracy to the rumors (about federal agents coming to Humboldt County for a marijuana crackdown) and the dates were penned down pretty well,” Schadler said.
Agents are not targeting 215 medical marijuana users or growers.
The sweep is focused on 23 discreet locations, residences, grow houses and two large chunks of property with four warrants and two state warrants, Schadler said.
No charges have been filed against anyone at this point and none are planned in the near future.
The goal is to collect evidence, look for evidence of crimes and things that have been purchased with illegal proceeds to support ongoing prosecution efforts, he said.
None of the raids will have impact on fire suppression efforts and no public roads are being closed, Schadler said.
The focus of the sweep is mainly in southern Humboldt with some spillover in Arcata and there may be some spillover into Mendocino County, he said.
"I don't believe there is anything (happening regarding raids) in Eureka," he said.
Copyright: 2008 The Eureka Reporter
URL:
http://eurekareporter.com/article/08...for-a-few-days
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