$50 million worth of marijuana uprooted from 2 Industry warehouses; 8 men arrested

INDUSTRY >> Deputies seized more than 16,000 marijuana plants, valued at more than $50 million, and arrested eight men while raiding two warehouses in Industry on Thursday morning, authorities said.
The bust took place about 9:30 a.m. at two separate warehouses in the 1100 block of Fullerton Road, just north of the 60 Freeway, Deputy Trina Schrader of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.
Deputies began an investigation about two months ago based on a tip of possible illegal activity going on inside the warehouses, Schrader said.
Investigators from the sheriff’ Special Assignment Team obtained a two-location search warrant for the two warehouses. They showed up to serve the warrants Thursday morning.
“A sophisticated indoor marijuana grow operation was discovered at both locations,” Schrader said.
“There were over 16,000 marijuana plants seized,” she said. “The street value of the marijuana seized is over $50 million.”
Eight men were arrested during the raids on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, officials said.
They were described as residents of San Gabriel and Rowland Heights between 35 and 50 years old, according to Schrader. Detectives withheld their identities Thursday as they continued following investigative leads.
No money or weapons were seized during the raid, Schrader added.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the sheriff’s Industry Station at 626-330-3322. Tups may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.
The raid was the second high-value marijuana bust reported in the central San Gabriel Valley since Tuesday.
El Monte police investigators, originally seeking a stolen Lexus, discovered a concentrated marijuana, or “honey oil” lab on Tuesday in the 14700 block of Horticultural Drive in neighboring Hacienda Heights. Investigators seized $1.8 million worth of marijuana and concentrated marijuana products and arrested five men.
The two busts occurred about 7 miles away from one another. Sheriff’s officials released no information regarding whether the two investigations may be related.

PHOTOS courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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