The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department is cracking down on illegal marijuana grow operations. In the last week alone, the department made 31 arrests connected to the seizure of plants, processed marijuana, guns and cash across the county.
“Operation Hammer Strike” resulted in 31 search warrants at various locations in Lucerne Valley, Chino Hills, Twentynine Palms, Wonder Valley, Fontana, Bloomington, Pinon Hills, Phelan, Newberry Springs, Hesperia and the San Bernardino National Forest, deputies said in a statement.
The 31 arrests include individuals between the ages of 19 and 63. All were cited or booked on charges of cultivation of cannabis, over six plants and possession for sales of marijuana. The warrants were served after numerous complaints about large outdoor cultivations in the areas, according to the Sheriff’s department.
Mara Rodriguez with the Sheriff’s Department said more teams have been added to stopping illegal grows -- which played a big role in the seizure last week of 29,810 marijuana plants, 5,798.4 pounds of processed marijuana, four guns and about $19,000.00 in cash during Operation Hammer Strike between Sept. 13 and 17.
Investigators also destroyed 138 greenhouses found at the 31 locations where search warrants were served.
“The investigations revealed the cannabis cultivations were not in compliance with California's Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) and San Bernardino County's ordinance prohibiting Commercial Cannabis Activity,” the department said.
The full list of arrests includes:
-Rong Fa Jing, 63, male resident of Pomona, Ca.
-Yang Liu, 49, male resident of Monterrey Park, Ca.
-Esteban Garcia, 40, male resident of Menifee, Ca.
-Somsy Sythongkham, 68, male resident of Wonder Valley, Ca.
-Kham Sythongkham, 61, male resident of Wonder Valley, Ca.
-Jose Bolano, 31, male resident of Riverside, Ca.
-Aaron Camacho, 29, male resident of San Bernardino, Ca.
-Manuel Soto, 50, male resident of Perris, Ca.
-Maria Artega, 60, female resident of Bloomington, Ca.
-Ivan Chavez, 46, male resident of Perris, Ca.
-Brandon Sanchez, 23, male resident of Hemet, Ca.
-Yung Chin Teng, 47, male resident of Pinon Hills, Ca.
-Andres Contreras, 26, male resident of Pinon Hills, Ca.
-Haroutyun Sahakyan, 33, male resident of Sunland, Ca.
-Vache Bezikayan, 32, male resident of Glendale, Ca.
-Yan Ling Chen, 62, female resident of Newberry Springs, Ca.
-Yao Tang Liang, 61, male resident of Newberry Springs, Ca.
-Qin Quan Chen, 38, male resident of Newberry Springs, Ca.
-Dib Zeng, 62, male resident of Newberry Springs, Ca.
-Kham Phomthisene, 61, male resident of Laos.
-Bernabe Hernandez-Salgado, 53, male resident of Stockton, Ca.
-Victor Bugarin, 29, male resident of Mexico.
-Daniel Andres, 29, male resident of Stockton, Ca.
-Alfred Carrillo, 22, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Ray Pachecho, 23, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Timoteo Angula, 41, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Leonel Castro Diaz, 58, male resident of Pinon Hills, Ca.
-Jose Gallegos, 45, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Ofelia Lopez, 54, female resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Sammy Martinez, 19, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
-Juan Jose Perea Gomez, 33, male resident of Phelan, Ca.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the Sheriff's Gangs/Narcotics Division at (909)387-8400.
While the county does allow for indoor cultivation in a private residence, it does have limits and does have additional regulations for commercial cannabis activity.
Property owners who are uninvolved in the action of tenants growing marijuana on properties are also subject to fines and jail time, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
