The Journal: Feds move to seize properties
Many questions remain. For instance, what is the connection between the other properties raided, like those in northern Humboldt? What property in McKinleyville was searched? A sheriff’s spokesperson said it didn’t assist with that search because all six available officers were sent to help secure the 2,000 acres in Southern Humboldt. Also, how is the house on Virginia Way in Arcata connected?
“I have no idea,” said Miu Ling Elkins, who owns the Arcata house with her husband, Robert. The Elkins were reached by phone in Novato this weekend. Miu Ling said the Arcata house tenant, whose identity has not been reported, is “neat and clean; she pays her rent on time.”
The Elkins bought 12 houses in Arcata in 1992 and 1993 to rent to students for a long-term investment. “They were so cheap,” Miu Ling said. All 12 properties are managed by Humboldt Property Management Group. There have been a few complaints or suspicions of a rental being used as a grow house in the past, but the Elkins said they move quickly to evict such tenants.
“It really wrecks a house,” said her husband, Robert.
***
I haven't heard any talk about a house in McKinleyville being raided, other than what's in the paper - no one seems to know where or who...
Showing posts with label Operation Southern Sweep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Operation Southern Sweep. Show all posts
Thursday, July 03, 2008
Asset Forfeiture
TS U.S. attorney files complaints for forfeiture against raided properties
The government is seeking the forfeiture of several Southern Humboldt and Mendocino properties which were the subject of federal marijuana raids last week.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello filed two complaints for forfeiture identifying more than 20 parcels where federal agents reportedly found nearly 80 marijuana gardens and more than 12,000 plants during what they dubbed “Operation Southern Sweep.” ...a total of seven properties, three of which can reportedly be traced to an individual identified as Robert Juan.
...The complaints first reported in the North Coast Journal were filed with the Humboldt County Recorder's Office last week and list a total of seven properties, three of which can reportedly be traced to an individual identified as Robert Juan....
The two largest holdings identified in the complaints were listed as reportedly belonging to Juan and Lost Paradise Land Corp. Juan is identified the corporation's president in other documents filed with the county....
A third property identified in the complaint spanned two parcels in Mendocino County where agents reported finding a greenhouse with 164 marijuana plants, in addition to a variety of growing materials and an ATV, according to the complaint.
The complaint lists the alleged property owners as Paul Sayers and Graeson Prescott, who is listed in other county documents as Lost Paradise Land Corp.'s treasurer.
The other complaint cites four Southern Humboldt County properties for forfeiture, all of which were reportedly home to substantially smaller growing operations.
A home on the 1500 block of Briceland Thorn Road in Whitethorn, which the complaint states is allegedly owned by Donovan and Lynne Henry, reportedly had two separate gardens, according to the documents....
...The complaint also states that a home on the 400 block of Par Avenue in Redway is reportedly owned by the Fowler Family Trust. There, agents allegedly found a marijuana garden with almost 150 plants growing under four lights, in addition to 15 pounds of processed marijuana found in a bedroom, according to the complaint.
Juan's name again came up in the fourth complaint, which alleges he co-owns a property in the 3600 block of Miranda's Thomas Road with Alishia Stone. On that property, the complaint states agents allegedly found nearly 140 plants growing in three different structures.
The last property listed in the complaint was in the 400 block of Redway's Eel River Lane, which allegedly contained a green house with about 400 marijuana plants growing under 12 lights, some of which the complaint states were motorized to move back and forth over the plant canopy....
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Some funny stuff
came out of "Operation Southern Sweep!" Here're my two favorites:
Picasso’s Guernica, the colossal painting that depicts the 1937 firebombing of the Basque homeland, was the subject of a film at the Eureka, California art museum last weekend. It served as a prelude to the week’s activities. An invading force of 450 law enforcement officers from California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement (BNE), FBI, IRS, and US Postal Service descended in convoys of as many as 200 vehicles upon the hamlet of Southern Humboldt county California, population. The entire county has only 138 law enforcement officers.... :) Read it here (by Ellen Komp? Ellen Taylor?)
Now THAT'S a stretch! There wasn't any FIREBOMBING HERE! Ooooh! An INVADING FORCE! CONVOYS! LOL HYSTERICAL!
I think this is still my favorite - "FUCKING RUN! Its a WAR ZONE here right now! FEDS UP THE ASS!" Holy Shit, Batman, Feds Invaded Humboldt!
Got any better ones?
Picasso’s Guernica, the colossal painting that depicts the 1937 firebombing of the Basque homeland, was the subject of a film at the Eureka, California art museum last weekend. It served as a prelude to the week’s activities. An invading force of 450 law enforcement officers from California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement (BNE), FBI, IRS, and US Postal Service descended in convoys of as many as 200 vehicles upon the hamlet of Southern Humboldt county California, population. The entire county has only 138 law enforcement officers.... :) Read it here (by Ellen Komp? Ellen Taylor?)
Now THAT'S a stretch! There wasn't any FIREBOMBING HERE! Ooooh! An INVADING FORCE! CONVOYS! LOL HYSTERICAL!
I think this is still my favorite - "FUCKING RUN! Its a WAR ZONE here right now! FEDS UP THE ASS!" Holy Shit, Batman, Feds Invaded Humboldt!
Got any better ones?
People are askin' - Where's Paul?
Some 24 agencies, but no mention of the Humboldt County DA. And he has all that gear, the AR-15s and the assault team and the cute outfits to go with it, too.. if ever you were going to break those out, this would be the time...
a cooperative effort between the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, United States Forest Service, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. CA DOJ/BNE task forces included the North and South Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement, Glenn Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Shasta Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Siskiyou County Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, San Jose Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team.
a cooperative effort between the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, United States Forest Service, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. CA DOJ/BNE task forces included the North and South Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement, Glenn Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Shasta Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Siskiyou County Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, San Jose Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
ACTION! keeping it updated w/links (6/23-6/27)
"FUCKING RUN! Its a WAR ZONE here right now! FEDS UP THE ASS!" Holy Shit, Batman, Feds Invaded Humboldt! Says Cannabis.com.
The story? The gist of it - Some 450 Federal and State agents targeted commercial pot growing operations in “Operation Southern Sweep.” serving search warrants and collecting evidence on "properties where “corporate marijuana growing operations” were suspected." Operating out of a Command Center in Fortuna's River Lodge parking lot, the motorcade drew alot of attention...
This investigation has been a cooperative effort between the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, United States Forest Service, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. CA DOJ/BNE task forces included the North and South Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement, Glenn Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Shasta Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Siskiyou County Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, San Jose Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team.”
WOW!!!
Blog posts were coming fast and furious, most everyone has pics, these are from the Eureka Reporter...
Federal agents watch the progress of the raids on video monitors Tuesday morning inside a Tactical Operation Center set up in the parking lot of the River Lodge in Fortuna. 
An FBI Mobile Command Post was brought in to conduct a series of raids on marijuana grow operations Tuesday morning at the River Lodge in Fortuna. 
Vehicles containing an FBI Mobile Command Post and Tactical Operation Center sit parked outside the River Lodge in Fortuna Tuesday morning while agents work inside the lodge. Daniel Solomon/The Eureka Reporter
NCJ Feds: Real June 23, 2008 at 6:31 pm
heraldo Feds in Fortuna June 23, 2008 at 7:35
NCJ GO TIME Jun. 24, 2008 at 5:49 am
NCJ From The Sheriff’s Office Jun. 24, 2008 at 7:39 am
Eric FBI in Redway 7:56 AM
Kym Heraldo may have the Last Laugh? 7:04 am
NCJ FBI Spokesman on KSLG 8:07 am
Hank reports:
☛ This is the culmination of a two-year investigation.
☛ This is a bust of “large-scale commercial grows.” NOT medical marijuana.
☛ Agents from a variety of federal and state organizations — including the IRS and the Postal Service –will be serving 27 warrants.
NCJ Bust in Sunny Brae 9:26 am
Kym Home in Salmon Creek Target of FBI 9:15 am
Anon.R jokes Arcata's only superhero taking day off, FBI zerg rushes. 10:23 AM
NCJ Down in SoHum 10:35 am
☛ Eric Kirk is monitoring KMUD. Busts in Redway, including one witnessed by Eric himself. Also there’s apparently a good deal of action out near Whale Gulch.
**
☛ Eric says: I've got KMUD on, but KHUM and KSLG are also covering the action. And Hank has a growing display of photos at the blogthing.
TS http://www.times-standard.com/ci_9683779 10:57am
Kym IRS agents in Redway 10:58 a
ER Agents arrive in Humboldt to target marijuana grows 11:18 AM
NCJ ‘Multi-Day Operation’ 12:19 pm
ER Operation Southern Sweep to continue for a few day 12:42 updated at 1:05 PM
NCJ ‘Operation Southern Sweep’ 12:56 pm
LA Times Raids smoke out large marijuana operation in Humboldt County 12:59 PM (locates this as being in San Francisco. No, it is in HUMBOLDT COUNTY. Probably not Reiterman's fault.)
☛ Residences and growing sites were targeted as federal and state agents serve 29 warrants on a commercial cultivation and distribution organization, authorities say.
NCJ LA Times Story 1:26 pm
and again on heraldo Medical pot busts may be next 2:10 pm
heraldo All warrants served 6:37 pm
A Dollar Short 6:49 PM (funniest comments award!)
Eric Operation Southern Sweep 7:32 PM
Pot Bust Blog Bustle
☛ Cruel irony that (Hank’s trying to get out of town) taking his first vacation in years as one of the biggest stories of the year unfolds. 9:34 pm
DAY TWO:
ER Feds storm 25 locations in Humboldt County drug raids Jun 25 2008, 12:00 AM
ER Secret raids not too secret 12:12 AM
☛ This wasn't the first time: A surprise, nearly two-week-long marijuana eradication raid in July 1990, called “Operation Green Sweep,” by an estimated 200 California National Guard soldiers and Bureau of Land Management agents sealed off approximately 640 acres in the King Range National Conservation Area, according to archived Times-Standard articles.... The operation netted 11 arrests and 1,408 marijuana plants worth $4.2 million.
Another visit by the DEA in 2003 as part of “Operation Pipedreams” and “Operation Headhunter” targeted vendors who sold drug paraphernalia across state lines via the Internet, which led to the arrest of three Arcata businessmen who owned 101 North Glass Inc.
TS Fed raid rumors spark panic 01:27:10 AM (we're going by the second now?) Several local businesses, which asked not to be singled out by name, described a swift business in moving truck rentals over the last week -- apparently, in some cases, to move pot grows.
TS Feds launch massive pot sting 01:30:56 AM
The blogs are quiet this morning, so far. 7:33 AM
Eric All quiet in Redway this morning? (Update: not in Whitethorn!) 8:32 AM
heraldo Little new info on pot busts 9:23 am
Willits News Feds launch massive pot sting (with video) picks up the TS story 9:39:41 AM
Anon.R.mous FBI Party Van visits Humboldt County. 10:20 AM (nice rig!)
TS Feds prepare evidence seized Tuesday 10:50:03 AM
Marks Operation Southern Sweep recovery plan. 12:09 PM
Humboldt Hydroponics ad next to TS story on HUGE bust...
TS Authorities: Between $25 and $60 million in pot seized 12:29:40 PM
☛ Law enforcement officers raided grow houses and residences in Shelter Cove, Whitethorn, Redway, Ettersburg, Garberville, Miranda, Phillipsville, Arcata and McKinleyville. They also secured and are searching almost 2,000 acres in southern Humboldt County and northern Mendocino County belonging to the targets of the investigation.
Over the course of Tuesday's activity, officers located around ten thousand marijuana plants estimated to be worth between $25 and $60 million on the street. They seized 30 firearms, including fully automatic weapons, one vehicle, and more than $160,000 in cash.
No charges have been filed and none of the targets of the investigation were arrested during Tuesday's raids. However, FBI agents arrested one man for assault on a federal agent during the execution of the search warrants.
heraldo Feds get into the Humboldt spirit 1:12 pm
heraldo Prop. 215 won’t protect targeted growers
quoting a KMUD interview - “Simply because they may have a 215 up doesn’t mean its’ still not illegal under federal law,” Schadler said. “For example, If they are part of this larger group [targeted by the investigation], and they are growing marijuana for non-medical purposes, which is outside the statute — even if they say they’re growing it under 215 — it still doesn’t negate the fact that it’s illegal under federal law. Just because we’re not targeting 215 doesn’t mean that somebody can hide behind that when they’re part of a larger investigation.”
The “investigation is about finding truth,” Schadler said, and added that people not involved in the alleged organization won’t be prosecuted. “Our targets are not people simply growing for medical purposes,” he said. 7:48 pm
ER Feds nab pot plants worth millions, continue search of large property 11:30 PM
DAY THREE:
TS Seized pot worth $25M to $60M 1:30:44 AM
Eric The latest on the Buddhaville bust 8:05 AM
heraldo Wednesday fed raid update 9:10 am
NCJ The “Joint” News Release and unanswered questions 10:03 am
THE AFTERMATH
ER Investigation into alleged commercial pot grow may take months 12:05 AM
ER Spiking the for-profit growers Jun 27 2008, 12:50 AM
TS Feds wrapping up SoHum pot operation 1:24:28 AM
heraldo Feds go home 7:41 am
Eric It's over - for now 8:39 AM
Is that the last word?
Nope, Kym has follow up...
Details Emerge from FBI Raids June 29, 2008 at 8:54 pm
TS Feds still sorting pot raids evidence 7/01/2008 01:15:23 AM
TS FBI counts up evidence 7/01/2008 01:41:21 PM
It's also on a buncha pot sites
breaking drug news latest 200 - http://www.drugpolicycentral.com/bot/
WeedTRACKER - http://www.weedtracker.com/forums
FEDS LAUNCH MASSIVE POT STING
http://thedailycannabinoid.blogspot.com/
http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/
Some questions - who leaked the fact that the agents were coming? Does this have anything to do with Hedlund/Vilica?
The story? The gist of it - Some 450 Federal and State agents targeted commercial pot growing operations in “Operation Southern Sweep.” serving search warrants and collecting evidence on "properties where “corporate marijuana growing operations” were suspected." Operating out of a Command Center in Fortuna's River Lodge parking lot, the motorcade drew alot of attention...
This investigation has been a cooperative effort between the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, United States Forest Service, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, California Department of Fish and Game, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. CA DOJ/BNE task forces included the North and South Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement, Glenn Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Shasta Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Siskiyou County Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Mendocino County Major Crimes Task Force, San Jose Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team.”
WOW!!!
Blog posts were coming fast and furious, most everyone has pics, these are from the Eureka Reporter...
Federal agents watch the progress of the raids on video monitors Tuesday morning inside a Tactical Operation Center set up in the parking lot of the River Lodge in Fortuna. 
An FBI Mobile Command Post was brought in to conduct a series of raids on marijuana grow operations Tuesday morning at the River Lodge in Fortuna. 
Vehicles containing an FBI Mobile Command Post and Tactical Operation Center sit parked outside the River Lodge in Fortuna Tuesday morning while agents work inside the lodge. Daniel Solomon/The Eureka ReporterNCJ Feds: Real June 23, 2008 at 6:31 pm
heraldo Feds in Fortuna June 23, 2008 at 7:35
NCJ GO TIME Jun. 24, 2008 at 5:49 am
NCJ From The Sheriff’s Office Jun. 24, 2008 at 7:39 am
Eric FBI in Redway 7:56 AM
Kym Heraldo may have the Last Laugh? 7:04 am
NCJ FBI Spokesman on KSLG 8:07 am
Hank reports:
☛ This is the culmination of a two-year investigation.
☛ This is a bust of “large-scale commercial grows.” NOT medical marijuana.
☛ Agents from a variety of federal and state organizations — including the IRS and the Postal Service –will be serving 27 warrants.
NCJ Bust in Sunny Brae 9:26 am
Kym Home in Salmon Creek Target of FBI 9:15 am
Anon.R jokes Arcata's only superhero taking day off, FBI zerg rushes. 10:23 AM
NCJ Down in SoHum 10:35 am
☛ Eric Kirk is monitoring KMUD. Busts in Redway, including one witnessed by Eric himself. Also there’s apparently a good deal of action out near Whale Gulch.
**
☛ Eric says: I've got KMUD on, but KHUM and KSLG are also covering the action. And Hank has a growing display of photos at the blogthing.
TS http://www.times-standard.com/ci_9683779 10:57am
Kym IRS agents in Redway 10:58 a
ER Agents arrive in Humboldt to target marijuana grows 11:18 AM
NCJ ‘Multi-Day Operation’ 12:19 pm
ER Operation Southern Sweep to continue for a few day 12:42 updated at 1:05 PM
NCJ ‘Operation Southern Sweep’ 12:56 pm
LA Times Raids smoke out large marijuana operation in Humboldt County 12:59 PM (locates this as being in San Francisco. No, it is in HUMBOLDT COUNTY. Probably not Reiterman's fault.)
☛ Residences and growing sites were targeted as federal and state agents serve 29 warrants on a commercial cultivation and distribution organization, authorities say.
NCJ LA Times Story 1:26 pm
and again on heraldo Medical pot busts may be next 2:10 pm
heraldo All warrants served 6:37 pm
A Dollar Short 6:49 PM (funniest comments award!)
Eric Operation Southern Sweep 7:32 PM
Pot Bust Blog Bustle
☛ Cruel irony that (Hank’s trying to get out of town) taking his first vacation in years as one of the biggest stories of the year unfolds. 9:34 pm
DAY TWO:
ER Feds storm 25 locations in Humboldt County drug raids Jun 25 2008, 12:00 AM
ER Secret raids not too secret 12:12 AM
☛ This wasn't the first time: A surprise, nearly two-week-long marijuana eradication raid in July 1990, called “Operation Green Sweep,” by an estimated 200 California National Guard soldiers and Bureau of Land Management agents sealed off approximately 640 acres in the King Range National Conservation Area, according to archived Times-Standard articles.... The operation netted 11 arrests and 1,408 marijuana plants worth $4.2 million.
Another visit by the DEA in 2003 as part of “Operation Pipedreams” and “Operation Headhunter” targeted vendors who sold drug paraphernalia across state lines via the Internet, which led to the arrest of three Arcata businessmen who owned 101 North Glass Inc.
TS Fed raid rumors spark panic 01:27:10 AM (we're going by the second now?) Several local businesses, which asked not to be singled out by name, described a swift business in moving truck rentals over the last week -- apparently, in some cases, to move pot grows.
TS Feds launch massive pot sting 01:30:56 AM
The blogs are quiet this morning, so far. 7:33 AM
Eric All quiet in Redway this morning? (Update: not in Whitethorn!) 8:32 AM
heraldo Little new info on pot busts 9:23 am
Willits News Feds launch massive pot sting (with video) picks up the TS story 9:39:41 AM
Anon.R.mous FBI Party Van visits Humboldt County. 10:20 AM (nice rig!)
TS Feds prepare evidence seized Tuesday 10:50:03 AM
Marks Operation Southern Sweep recovery plan. 12:09 PM
Humboldt Hydroponics ad next to TS story on HUGE bust...
TS Authorities: Between $25 and $60 million in pot seized 12:29:40 PM
☛ Law enforcement officers raided grow houses and residences in Shelter Cove, Whitethorn, Redway, Ettersburg, Garberville, Miranda, Phillipsville, Arcata and McKinleyville. They also secured and are searching almost 2,000 acres in southern Humboldt County and northern Mendocino County belonging to the targets of the investigation.
Over the course of Tuesday's activity, officers located around ten thousand marijuana plants estimated to be worth between $25 and $60 million on the street. They seized 30 firearms, including fully automatic weapons, one vehicle, and more than $160,000 in cash.
No charges have been filed and none of the targets of the investigation were arrested during Tuesday's raids. However, FBI agents arrested one man for assault on a federal agent during the execution of the search warrants.
heraldo Feds get into the Humboldt spirit 1:12 pm
heraldo Prop. 215 won’t protect targeted growers
quoting a KMUD interview - “Simply because they may have a 215 up doesn’t mean its’ still not illegal under federal law,” Schadler said. “For example, If they are part of this larger group [targeted by the investigation], and they are growing marijuana for non-medical purposes, which is outside the statute — even if they say they’re growing it under 215 — it still doesn’t negate the fact that it’s illegal under federal law. Just because we’re not targeting 215 doesn’t mean that somebody can hide behind that when they’re part of a larger investigation.”
The “investigation is about finding truth,” Schadler said, and added that people not involved in the alleged organization won’t be prosecuted. “Our targets are not people simply growing for medical purposes,” he said. 7:48 pm
ER Feds nab pot plants worth millions, continue search of large property 11:30 PM
DAY THREE:
TS Seized pot worth $25M to $60M 1:30:44 AM
Eric The latest on the Buddhaville bust 8:05 AM
heraldo Wednesday fed raid update 9:10 am
NCJ The “Joint” News Release and unanswered questions 10:03 am
THE AFTERMATH
ER Investigation into alleged commercial pot grow may take months 12:05 AM
ER Spiking the for-profit growers Jun 27 2008, 12:50 AM
TS Feds wrapping up SoHum pot operation 1:24:28 AM
heraldo Feds go home 7:41 am
Eric It's over - for now 8:39 AM
Is that the last word?
Nope, Kym has follow up...
Details Emerge from FBI Raids June 29, 2008 at 8:54 pm
TS Feds still sorting pot raids evidence 7/01/2008 01:15:23 AM
TS FBI counts up evidence 7/01/2008 01:41:21 PM
It's also on a buncha pot sites
breaking drug news latest 200 - http://www.drugpolicycentral.com/bot/
WeedTRACKER - http://www.weedtracker.com/forums
FEDS LAUNCH MASSIVE POT STING
http://thedailycannabinoid.blogspot.com/
http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/
Some questions - who leaked the fact that the agents were coming? Does this have anything to do with Hedlund/Vilica?
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