Pubdate: Sat, 10 Mar 2001
Source: Times-Standard (CA)
Copyright: 2001 The Times-Standard
Contact:  930 Sixth St. Eureka, CA 95501
Fax: 707-441-0501
Feedback: 
http://www.times-standard.com/AngEuk_feedback.asp?PUID=5106&SPUID=5106
Website: http://www.times-standard.com/
Author: James Tressler, The Times-Standard
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n423/a04.html

BUSTED INDOOR MARIJUANA FACILITIES MAY BE PART OF ORGANIZATION

EUREKA -- Tuesday's drug raids in Humboldt and Mendocino counties made a 
major dent in an illegal pot growing organization, said Special Agent 
Joycelyn Barnes, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department on Friday.

Tuesday's bust, in which more than 100 local, state and federal drug agents 
made a dawn raid on 11 different locations, was targeted at indoor 
operations. Federal crackdowns on outdoor growers in the past decade have 
forced many growers inside. This move actually increased their output 
because they can run year-round, Barnes said.

Barnes said all of the different locations may be part of some kind of 
organization, but not a traditionally set up organization. There may be a 
person at the top financially who buys land and brokers it to other people, 
who in turn set up their own operations.

As of Friday, drug agents had searched 18 locations in Humboldt and 
Mendocino County. Six of these were residences and the rest were facilities 
located in remote areas, Barnes said. More than 30,000 marijuana plants 
were seized, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, automatic 
weapons, generators, three All-Terrain Vehicles, three Harley Davidson 
motorcycles and one fishing boat. Four people have been arrested, two of 
those from Humboldt County.

Bria and Zachary Stone's Redway home was raided as well as a facility the 
couple owns in Salmon Creek. The couple was arrested on weapons and 
cultivation charges. About 1700 marijuana plants were found at the Salmon 
Creek residence.

In a telephone interview from her San Francisco office, Barnes said the 
Justice Department's Drug Enforcement Administration is continuing to 
investigate and there may be more arrests. She said she couldn't speculate 
on how much of an effect the bust will have on marijuana-traffic in the state.

California still leads the nation in the number of indoor and outdoor 
marijuana-growing operations, Barnes said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D