Deputies with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department’s Cannabis Compliance Team and multiple other law enforcement agencies seized about 20 tons of illegal cannabis and destroyed about 350,000 plants from an illegal grow operation near Buellton, the Sheriff’s Department said Saturday in a news release.
Detectives executed four search warrants at the location in the 1800 block of West Highway 246, just outside the Buellton city limits. The cultivation site was located on a 187-acre property of agricultural land, with just over 60 acres dedicated to the cultivation of cannabis, the Sheriff’s Department said.
It took law enforcement four days to seize the approximately 20 tons of processed cannabis and 350,000 plants. Detectives first served the search warrants on Monday, according to the release.
The investigation was the result of complaints from the public, as well as tips provided to the Sheriff’s Cannabis Compliance Team.
The owner of the property has not been located or contacted at this time, according to the news release.
The case will be forwarded to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for review of possible charges.