September 6, 2024 6:50 a.m.
Detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team executed 5 search warrants in recent weeks, leading to the seizure of over 240,000 marijuana plants from massive illegal production sites in Douglas County and 8 arrests.
DINT Commander Lieutenant Rick McArthur said on August 15th detectives went to a property in the 200 block of Mobley Drive in Azalea. McArthur said detectives seized approximately 668 marijuana plants, 35 pounds of processed marijuana and 256 pounds of marijuana edibles. 27-year-old Luis Flores-Melendes of Rogue River, and 34-year-old Paul McCausland of Largo, Florida were jailed on charges of possession, manufacture and delivery of marijuana.
On August 22nd, DINT served a search warrant at a property in the 8,000 block of Highway 99S in Dillard. McArthur said detectives seized approximately 154,000 marijuana plants along with some other marijuana products. 29-year-old Jose Tejeda was jailed on charges of possession and manufacture of marijuana.
In a related case on August 27th, DINT executed a search warrant at a property in the 600 block of Dillard Gardens Road in Dillard. Detectives seized another approximately 75,000 marijuana plants from this location, as well as a small amount of methamphetamine. Both cases in Dillard are connected and run by the same organization, according to McArthur. These are two of the biggest grow sites ever seen in Douglas County. The investigation is on-going, and more arrests are anticipated.
On August 29th, detectives went to a property in the 1,300 block of Backside Baldy Lane in Yoncalla. Approximately 9,500 marijuana plants were seized, along with approximately 500 pounds of processed marijuana. 26-year-old Eduardo Reyes was jailed on charges of possession, manufacture and delivery of marijuana.
On September 4th, DINT served a search warrant at a property in the 4,000 block of Goodrich Highway in Oakland. Approximately 1,700 marijuana plants and other associated evidence were seized. Four people were arrested: 40-year-old Youfu Wu, 49-year-old Shinan Li, 42-year-old Jiaming Wei, and 51-year-old Weinan Fu, all males of unknown origin. They were each jailed on charges of unlawful possession, manufacture and delivery of marijuana.
The DINT release said in recent years, Oregon has been overrun with massive illegal grow sites that been devastating to the local environment and water supply. McArthur said many of these sites are operated and staffed by foreign organized crime organizations. McArthur said this black-market marijuana is sold locally, around the nation and is even shipped around the world