August 24, 2022 4:20 a.m.

Detectives with the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team seized 2,154 live marijuana plants and 1,900 pounds of processed marijuana after executing a search warrant at a residence in the 4,000 block of Dole Road in Myrtle Creek on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Rick McArthur said this was another of the large-scale illegal operations being repeatedly seen in the area, often times owned and operated by foreign drug cartels. McArthur said this location was also raided for illegal marijuana operations, twice in 2013.

DINT found several large greenhouses completely surrounding the residence that were full of live marijuana plants. McArthur said hillsides around the home were terraced with hundreds of growing marijuana plants. The residence was being used as a sleeping quarters and work area for a large-scale commercial operation. The adjacent shop area was being used as an indoor growing and marijuana processing location. McArthur said there were major water use violations, dangerous electrical code violations as well as environmental wreckage from misuse of pesticides and fertilizers. He said these issues have been a common problem with this type of unlawful grow site.

McArthur said both the plants and the processed marijuana was ready for market. No one was located on the property at the time of the search warrant, but the investigation is continuing and arrests are anticipated.