On Thursday, September 2nd, 2021, Detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement team concluded a long-term investigation involving a large-scale illicit outdoor marijuana grow near Dodds Rd and Alfalfa Market Rd in the Alfalfa community.
On September 2nd, 2021, DCIME detectives, with the assistance of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, executed a Search Warrant on the 30-acre property and located 49 greenhouses containing 9,227 marijuana plants in various stages of growth. In addition to the plants, 2,800 pounds of processed marijuana were also found. Also concerning, two pistols and an AR-15 rifle was found within the marijuana grow operation.
During the investigation, it was determined that this particular illegal marijuana grow site was operated by and affiliated with a foreign Mexican drug cartel attempting to cultivate illegal marijuana for sale throughout the United States commercially. Most of the laborers found working on the grow site are Mexican nationals and illegally trafficked into the United States to work in the illegal marijuana trade involuntarily. The laborers were found living in primitive wooden structures and dome tents with limited clean water sources and dumping wastewater directly into the soil.
Approximately twenty-one people were detained and later released by Detectives at the scene. Some of the laborers fled into the neighboring property and offered no resistance when contacted by detectives. Several suspects, both foreign and domestic, have been identified. One person was arrested at the scene and released with a citation to appear in court. Detectives expect arrests are forthcoming once additional follow-up investigations are complete.
The possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal for recreational use in Oregon. However, large, unlicensed marijuana operations remain illegal. Due to these operations being unregulated, they pose dangers to the public and environment.
The Alfalfa community and surrounding areas in Deschutes County have been struggling with consistent groundwater sources. Since the beginning of DCIME, investigators have found illegal marijuana grows diverted or stolen significant water from nearby homes, commercial farms, or directly from pumps connected to underground sources in the arid central Oregon high desert. This particular grow site used underground water and maintained a complex watering system that supplied several on-site 15,000-20,000 gallon cisterns.
Additionally, Illegal marijuana farms, including this one, often use pesticides and insecticides that threaten residential water supplies and endanger the end user.
Illegal marijuana grows facilities have a very high electrical demand due to the lights, fans, and other equipment used. This grow site used jerry-rigged copper wire, extension cords, and power strips as permanent exterior wiring for processing equipment, lighting, fans, etc. Overloaded electrical wiring has caused fires in other marijuana grow facilities.
The Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement (DCIME) program is a partnership between the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, the Bend Police Department, and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office to address illegal marijuana activity in Deschutes County.
DCIME Detectives were assisted by the Deschutes County Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team, Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Crook County Sheriff’s Office and the Alfalfa Fire Department, and the US Drug Enforcement Administration with the investigation, eradication, and dismantling of this site.
