Now It’s Grow Mobile Homes? – August 30, 2011
Eye Staff Report
VALLEY WEST – In response to numerous neighbor complaints, Arcata Police Department officers served a search warrant on a suspected illegal marijuana cultivation operation in Valley West last Wednesday, Aug. 24.
The warrant was served on a double wide mobile home at 1122 Cedar Drive in the Valley West Mobile Estates park. Inside, officers discovered a sophisticated indoor marijuana cultivation operation that utilized the entire domicile.
No one lived there, and there was no evidence that the home was used for any purpose other than marijuana cultivation.
“This one was a little different,” said Det. Sgt. Todd Dokweiler. “It was not set up for living. There was no place to sleep, nothing like that.”
Officers seized about 40 pounds of dried marijuana in various stages of processing and nearly 500 growing marijuana plants along with a large amount of cultivation equipment.
No one was at the residence at the time the warrant was served and no arrests were made.
“It was probably someone from out of state working with somebody locally,” Dokweiler said.
Police are still investigating to determine who owns or owned the mobile home, and arrests may be in the offing. “It looks like there’s going to be more connections,” Dokweiler said.
City of Arcata building inspectors discovered numerous building code violations at the residence, which necessitated the immediate disconnection of electrical service.
If you suspect illegal drug activity in your neighborhood, please contact the Arcata Police Department at (707) 822-2428.
