Thousands of immigrants working on illegal marijuana farms in southern Oregon that authorities say are run by foreign cartels live in squalid conditions and are sometimes deceived and threatened by their gang bosses.

The situation has become so dire in the largely rural region near the state border with California, amid a wave of violent crime and water theft for cultivation operations during a severe drought, which Jackson and Douglas counties declared a state of emergency last month.

They asked for state funding and other resources, including the deployment of the National Guard, to properly enforce cannabis laws.

Commissioners for neighboring Josephine County said on Thursday they were preparing their own declaration of emergency. A draft document cites “widespread violations of county codes, state water laws and criminal laws.” Previously, they had written a letter to the President of the Oregon Senate saying the county was experiencing “a tragic increase in narco-slavery.”

A spokeswoman for Democratic Governor Kate Brown, Elizabeth Merah, said there were no immediate plans to deploy the National Guard.

Many illegal marijuana farms in the area operate under the guise of being legal hemp farms, but the crops they grow contain amounts of THC – the component that gives cannabis its high level – well above legal levels allowed for hemp.

State regulators and local law enforcement have been overwhelmed by the number of industrial-scale cultivation sites, which they say number in the hundreds, if not thousands.

There aren’t enough inspectors to test THC content on every site to determine which is legal and which isn’t, officials said. Some sites, often with armed guards, refused entry to state inspectors. Police said they did not have the capacity to search all suspicious sites because each search requires an investigation and search warrants.

And some illegal operations officials refuse to pay workers and have threatened them with violence if they approach authorities or try to resign, according to law enforcement officials and a group that advocates for the rights of migrants and workers. agricultural workers.

“We had several cases in Josephine County, where they were threatened with guns over their heads, ‘If you tell someone, we’re going to hurt your family in Mexico’, or ‘ We’re going to shoot you, ‘”said Kathy Keesee-Morales, co-director of Unete, an immigrant and farm worker advocacy group based in Medford, Oregon.

Some of the workers who say they were deceived reached out to Unete, who tried to help by calling the managers of the cannabis farm and warning them that they might face complaints filed with the Labor Office and the industry in Oregon if they don’t pay workers what they’re owed, Keesee-Morales said.

“A lot of times they’ll pay them just because they don’t want any interaction with the state,†Keesee-Morales said.

The number of illegal marijuana farms in the area, which are not part of Oregon’s legal and regulated marijuana system, has increased this year, with some even emerging along state highways.

They produce tons of marijuana that are sold out of state. Officials believe the cartels selected southern Oregon because it is considered part of the legendary Emerald Triangle, an area in which California’s Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties form the major part.

The area produces premium cannabis that is “the cannabis microbrewery,” said State Representative Lily Morgan, a Republican from the small town of Grants Pass, the seat of Josephine County.

“You can ask for it on a high dollar all over the world,†she said.

Local landowners often rent or sell their property to illegal cultivators at prices well above normal rates. In one case, a landlord went to her land to negotiate a lease renewal and discovered that the manager of the illegal marijuana farm had left and left the growing equipment and workers behind.

Morgan said the owner told county officials: “These people have been abandoned, there are workers who don’t have IDs, they don’t speak English, they don’t have food. “

The Oregon Labor Office is investigating wage complaints from workers on illegal marijuana farms, said Sonia Ramirez, administrator of the office’s wages and hours division.

Workers had to use holes in the ground for toilets, bathe in makeshift showers, cook in unsanitary kitchens, and live in tents and sleep on cots in shipping containers and greenhouses. marijuana, Jackson County Sheriff Nathan Sickler said.

Sickler said his deputies do not arrest workers for alleged immigration violations and instead distribute cards, in Spanish, provided by Unete, listing agencies that provide free services to migrants.

Workers are reluctant to speak to law enforcement officials because they are terrified that cartel enforcement officials may find out they have done so and harm them or their living relatives elsewhere, said Sickler and Keesee-Morales.

“There is a fear factor,†said the sheriff. “These individuals know they could be at risk of talking to the police about a number of things, including terms, non-payment.”

As the colder weather now arriving in Oregon marks the end of the growing season for many marijuana grow sites, the indoor illegal operations continue to operate through the winter as they are fitted with lights. heaters that allow cannabis plants to grow.

Sickler doesn’t expect criminal activity to slow down as a lot of money is involved, creating a tempting target for thieves.

In raids by Sickler MPs one September day on two cannabis farms, officers found $ 650,000, 7.5 tonnes of processed marijuana and 20,000 cannabis plants.

Last month, gunmen attempted to rob an illegal marijuana cultivation site and processing facility in the small town of Eagle Point in Jackson County. Three men from Sacramento, California were arrested for theft, unlawful use of a weapon and assault.

Josephine County Sheriff Dave Daniel did not predict any immediate resolution to the problem of illegal marijuana farms.

“This summer was absolutely out of control,†he said. “We expect next year to be just as bad, if not worse.”

___

Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky

More than 1,160 cannabis plants were seized after the discovery of a huge farm in an industrial unit in Atherstone.

There were 13 chambers which had been created to house different stages of plants.

Agents made the discovery at Netherwood Industrial Estate, Atherstone at 9 a.m. yesterday (August 5).

Read more: This is when Poundstretcher will open in Nuneaton

This followed information about an alleged cultivation of cannabis in a unit of the site.

In addition to the factories, the Atherstone and Coleshill team also discovered that electricity had been bypassed in the area.

They were forced to call an electricity supplier to cut the circuit to the property in order to secure the premises.

Investigations to find out who is behind the farm are ongoing.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dash cam that could assist the Warwickshire Police investigation should call 101 Incident ref 67 of 5 August.

Details can also be passed to agents through the independent charity Crimestoppers, which is free to call from a landline and confidential, on 0800 555 111.

Keep up to date with all the latest local news with our daily newsletter

Prosecutions for possession of cannabis for personal use in Ireland have almost halved over the past year, according to figures from An Garda Síochána.

he number of people charged or summoned for simple possession of cannabis until mid-December 2021 has decreased significantly from the previous year, largely due to offenders being given a warning instead of a warning. appearance in court.

The numbers show that Ireland is on a global shift towards drug decriminalization.

Malta made history in mid-December when it became the first country in Europe to allow limited cultivation and possession of cannabis for personal use, following a vote in parliament.

It should be followed by a wave of similar plans across Europe, with Luxembourg due to give the green light to a comparable measure.

Several other countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, are also on the verge of adopting a more lenient approach to cannabis possession.

Garda figures show 11,127 prosecutions in Ireland for possession of cannabis in 2020, but the figure had fallen to 5,957 for 2021 through the week ending December 14.

Gardaí attributes the main reason for the reduction in prosecution to the addition of possession of cannabis and cannabis resin for personal use to the adult warning program at the end of 2020.

Caution is administered in a guard station where there is evidence of the commission of an intended criminal offense and prosecution of the offense is not required in the public interest.

New figures also reveal number of prosecutions for cultivation of cannabis plants or opium poppy in Ireland fell from 197 in 2019 to 310 in 2020. Prosecutions for the sale and supply of cannabis in Ireland fell from 1,968 cases in 2020 to 1,283 in mid-December 2021.

Prosecutions for importing or exporting cannabis in Ireland peaked at 16 in 2020, while there were less than 10 incidents relating to 2021.

Uruguay was the first country in the world to legalize the production and sale of marijuana, while it is legal for recreational use in many states in the United States.

Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Europe and the world, according to the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

In its most recent report this year, the European Union agency said regulatory responses are also becoming more variable and complicated, as several countries allow the availability of cannabis products under certain circumstances for therapeutic purposes. , and some suggest the tolerance of certain forms of recreational consumption. .

“While most health and social issues remain focused on illicit cannabis use, it becomes a more complex area in terms of definition and response,†he said.

The report states that cannabis use can lead to or worsen a range of physical and mental health, social and economic problems. He said cannabis use is highest among young adults and the age of first cannabis use is lower than most other illicit drugs.

It is estimated that around 16 million young Europeans between the ages of 15 and 34, or around 15% of this age group, have used cannabis in the past year, with the figure rising to around 20% in the age group. ages 15 to 24.

He pointed out that cannabis use is often experimental, usually lasting only a short period in early adulthood.

But the report added that a minority of people develop more persistent and problematic consumption patterns, with these problems associated with regular, long-term, high-dose cannabis use.

These issues can include poor physical health, such as chronic respiratory symptoms, and mental health issues such as cannabis addiction and psychotic symptoms.

Social and economic problems were also mentioned due to poor school performance, failure to complete education, decreased performance at work or involvement in the criminal justice system.

A man has been arrested after officers found around 150 cannabis plants at a home in Mansfield.

Police were in Portland Street, Mansfield, when they became suspicious of a property after spotting signs of a cannabis den and a person inside.

Officers forced their way into the property and eventually found 150 plants and discovered that the electricity had been bypassed. A man was also found in the attic, according to Nottinghamshire Police.

A 30-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of growing cannabis following the incident, which happened shortly before 3.30am on Monday February 14.

Sergeant Adam Cooper, Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘Work continued throughout the day to seize and remove the cannabis and it is really positive for the community that it is no longer in circulation.

“Possession of controlled drugs is an offense in itself, but it can also be a sign of broader serious organized crime.

“That is why we are acting so vigorously and are committed to acting on information about this.

“A man remains in custody and our investigations into the discovery are ongoing. We will continue to urge people to come to us with information or concerns about crime in their area through 101 or by speaking to local officers directly.

To read all of our biggest and best stories, first sign up for our newsletter here.

A town hall will be held next month in Phelan to allow residents to question elected officials about “community safety” with a focus on the illegal cultivation of marijuana.

The Phelan Piñon Hills Community Service District is scheduled to host the event at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 10 at Phelan Community Park.

United States Representative Jay Obernolte, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon, Deputy Sheriff Shannon Dicus, District Attorney Jason Anderson, State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh, Congressman Thurston “Smitty” Smith and MP Tom Lackey are all ready to attend.

San Bernardino County supervisor Paul Cook was also invited, the community service district said.

The proliferation of illegal marijuana that grows in rural desert areas has been a controversial issue, particularly this year.

In February, sheriff’s deputies seized more than 6,500 cannabis plants and arrested two people while serving search warrants in Phelan.

“We are very concerned about the side effects of these great crops, including the introduction of criminals to the area, water theft, garbage dumping, sewage dumping and chemical dumping,” said Don Bartz, executive director of the Phelan Piñon Hills Community Services District. “Our residents are worried, so we have set up a town hall so that they can address their concerns. We are delighted that so many of our elected officials are eager to attend and help us solve this problem. “

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has seen a 224% increase in seizures of marijuana plants and a 620% increase in firearms found in search warrants at illicit pot farms since the passage of the law. proposition 64, according to a resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

Also known as the Adult Marijuana Use Act, the proposal was passed in 2016, legalizing cannabis and reducing the penalty for cultivation from felony to misdemeanor in most cases from January 2018.

McMahon says the low penalties have helped spur growth across the county. The Sheriff’s Department said it had received reports of more than 850 illegal farms and 200 more likely unreported.

Earlier this month, county supervisors approved a budget that would set aside $ 10.4 million to address issues raised by rural communities such as growing marijuana and short-term rentals.

Assembly Member Smith said in an editorial Wednesday that he was “committed to drafting legislation that will reform our system, including turning illegal cultivation from a misdemeanor to a felony and strengthening penalties for producers that steal water and harm our environment “.

Phelan Community Park is located at 4176 Warbler Road. Residents are encouraged to email their questions to their representatives at [email protected].

Daily Press reporter Martin Estacio can be contacted at 760-955-5358 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio.

A hemp cultivation and retailing operation has been established south of the river.

Old Manchester Hemp Co. was launched earlier this year at 1308 Hull Street, where it grows hemp which is sold in smokable forms at an on-site retail store.

The company primarily sells hemp buds and joints under its own brand, sourced from nearly 500 plants it grows in a 5,000 square foot indoor grow facility.

Owner Anthony Mijares is betting there is an opening for a hemp retailer focused on smoking plant products, also known as flowers. He said that in Virginia, hemp products are mostly oils and tinctures.

Mijares said the pre-rolled joints are the most popular offering in the company’s 1,500 square foot storefront, called the River City Smoke Shop. It also sells hemp buds in a variety of weights.

“People love the convenience of just picking up the pre-roll and not having anything to roll,†he said.

A 4 gram bag of hemp buds costs about $ 25, while a 7.5 gram bag costs about $ 40. A two-pack of hemp joints costs around $ 10.

In addition to retail sales, Old Manchester sells its wholesale hemp products to other companies that sell hemp as a white label or private label product.

“We do a lot of B2B. That’s why we have products on our shelves so that customers can test them before they buy and turn them into their own label, â€Mijares said.

Mijares said Old Manchester has about 15 wholesale customers across the country, and about five of them are located in Virginia.

To grow hemp in Virginia, you must obtain a license from the state Department of Agriculture. There is no license requirement to sell hemp products.

Both hemp and marijuana are cannabis plants. The difference is that hemp contains very little THC which gets a person high.

Kultivate Wellness, which has branches in Short Pump and Midlothian, also sells hemp flowers for smoking.

Going forward, Mijares hopes to expand into recreational marijuana as the market is expected to grow in the coming years as full legalization opens in Virginia and government authority for the industry takes shape. .

Richmond-area medical cannabis operator Green Leaf Medical recently began offering marijuana-based products for smoking to its customers, who are patients registered with the State Board of Pharmacy.

Mijares, a military veteran, was introduced to hemp-based CBD by a friend as a self-medication about six years ago. He became interested in the cannabis industry in Virginia when he saw it develop in recent years.

“When I got out of the military you go to the VA hospital and they give you a pill for whatever problem you have. And then you start having side effects and you get pills for them, â€he said. “I really wanted to get into the industry and saw the cannabis industry really start to explode.”

Mijares also owns Signscapes, a lakeside-based sign design and installation company. Last year, he opened Gatsby’s Sports Bar and Grill and Burger Bros. He has since sold the first and closed the second.

The man was charged with theft, possession, mischief, night trespassing and breach of the covenant.

Author of the article:

Angela Stelmakowich

plant-wielding suspect, also from Chatham, a short distance away. /” class=”featured-image__image” height=”537″ src=”https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/thegrowthop/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cannabis-e1621361040218.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288″ srcset=”https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/thegrowthop/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cannabis-e1621361040218.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288,
https://smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital/thegrowthop/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cannabis-e1621361040218.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=576 2x” width=”716″/>

Content of the article

With the traditional cannabis harvest kicking off, it’s no surprise that backyard bandits are working hard to try and steal the labors of many green-thumbed gardeners.

Content of the article

Indeed, a man with sticky fingers from Chatham, Ontario. is currently facing charges over his successful attempt to steal marijuana plants from an owner’s yard.

The backyard bandit was seen doing his thing shortly after midnight on September 16, prompting the Chatham-Kent Police Department to call the Chatham-Kent Police Department to report the suspicious man.

1. Ontario Police Surprise 18-Year-Old Walking Barefoot On Street With Stolen Marijuana Plants

2. 

   Budding weed grower in British Columbia sticks pregnant woman with machete repeatedly

3. 

   Garden greenery is gone: Backyard bandits flee with cannabis crops in small Ontario town

Response officers were able to locate the 51-year-old, plant-wielding suspect, also from Chatham, a short distance away, a police statement noted.

Content of the article

The man was arrested on the spot and later charged with theft, possession, mischief, night trespassing and breach of the covenant, police reported. He was put down for a bail hearing.

In Ontario, the government reports that a person can grow up to four cannabis plants per residence if they are at least 19 years old, if the herb is for personal use, if the raw material was purchased in the Ontario Cannabis Store or an authorized retail store. and, if it is a condo, the lease does not prohibit the practice.

Plants can be grown in backyards and even on balconies, but some provinces, such as British Columbia, require that cannabis plants not be accessible to the public.

Across the country, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association points out that owning a budding or flowering plant in public is verboten.

Content of the article

People who steal cannabis plants from backyards are nothing new, especially in the fall. Last November, police across the country reported a spike in backyard bandits, including an incident in which two people were caught after taking a single plant in Lindsay, Ont.

The suspects were apprehended and charged with theft under $ 5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime under $ 5,000. The former indictment carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, reports the law firms of Mark Zinck.

Other Ontario communities that have witnessed cannabis plant thefts over the past two falls – some with success; others not – have occurred in London, Oshawa, Cambridge and Chatham.

There was little or no risk of injury on the most recent flight to Chatham. That was not the case this week in Pueblo, Colorado, however.

Content of the article

The Pueblo Police Department (PPD) reports that around 2 a.m. Thursday, officers came to a house to investigate a disturbance with gunfire.

The two male residents of the house reported to police that barking dogs woke them up and looking outside they saw an unknown man in the backyard, a PPD Facebook post notes. .

Signaling that the man was attempting to steal their marijuana plant, they confronted the man, kicked him off their property and caught up with him, cornering him at a nearby intersection.

It was then that the cornered man summoned another person, who appeared around the corner and started screaming. “He then lifted his sweatshirt, took a handgun from his belt, pointed it at one of the residents and started shooting,” police reported.

Everyone dispersed from the scene, which, during a police search, revealed 14 9mm shell casings.

The police investigation is continuing and the two suspects have not yet been located.

Recreational cannabis is legal in Colorado, with people 21 and older able to own weed and grow no more than 12 plants per residence, according to Criminal Defense Lawyer.

The whole incident left one patient with no patience responding to the police station with a shake of his head. “Above the marijuana plants ?! Don’t people know that stuff like this is legal now? Wtf ?! People are no longer idiots.

Content of the article

We apologize, but this video failed to load.

To subscribe to Weekend dispensary, a new weekly newsletter from The GrowthOp.

Share this article on your social network

A huge cannabis farm has been discovered after a fire ravaged a house in Middlesbrough.

Firefighters rushed to the scene on Lothian Road after reports of smoke coming from the roof on Sunday.

A small electrical fire was discovered on the upstairs landing, believed to be caused by faulty wiring.

Go here for more Middlesbrough news and updates

However, Colleagues from the Cleveland Fire Department then checked the neighboring property for damage, where they discovered cannabis plants located inside.

In total, around 200 plants, estimated at £ 168,000, have been found.

The plants were all at different stages of growth.

Cleveland Police released a statement on the incident, saying “the result could have been tragic.”

Sergeant John Sproson of the Middlesbrough Neighborhood Team said: “This shows the danger of cannabis farms.

“Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident, however, if the fire had set in and spread along the other terraced houses on the street, the outcome could have been tragic.

“We encourage anyone who may have information regarding any suspicious activity, or addresses where they believe cannabis may be cultivated, to call us on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Officers were able to collect some of the compost from the addresses and deliver it to local residents on Faraday Street to support the renovation of their lane.

For info on crime in your area delivered straight to your inbox every day, go here to subscribe to our free newsletter