Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team detectives detained seven people on the morning of 2 August 2024 while serving a search warrant at a black-market cannabis grow in the 5900 block of Highway 234 in rural Central Point, Jackson County.[1] The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said the detectives seized approximately 39,000 illegal marijuana plants, $3,000 in cash and two firearms.[2] The office said there was no licence for cannabis growing, handling or processing at the location.[1] Charges were referred to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.[1]

Jackson County sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police troopers assisted the team.[1] Jackson County Code Enforcement issued $64,000 in fines to the landowner and a known responsible party for solid waste, an unpermitted pole barn, unpermitted electrical installations and failure to obtain land-use approval for marijuana production.[1] The solid-waste violations concerned plastic piping, sheeting and other material that had been burned and buried in April 2024.[1] Jackson County Fire District 3 had gone to the same property on 16 April 2024 after three large piles of prohibited material were set on fire.[1] Code Enforcement had already cited the landowner for the waste before it was buried and burned, then issued a second citation because ashes and residual material remained.[1]

The sheriff’s office said the Oregon Water Resources Department would issue a notice of violation for unauthorized water taken from Snider Creek.[1] Watermasters estimated that stopping the use saved roughly 1.5 million gallons because of the age of the plants.[1] The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team, funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, includes personnel from the sheriff’s office, Homeland Security Investigations, Oregon State Police, the Medford Police Department and the district attorney’s office.[1] The team focuses on the black-market marijuana trade in the Rogue Valley.[1] The sheriff’s office said investigations were open and detectives were working additional leads.[1]