In June 2026 the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and Lassen County Code Enforcement began investigating suspected illegal marijuana cultivation in northern Lassen County.[1] Aerial surveillance later confirmed marijuana was actively being grown at locations not licensed by California or Lassen County.[1][2] During operations from Aug. 17-21 and Sept. 7-11, authorities executed search warrants on 47 separate parcels.[3][2] The operations drew on county Code Enforcement, Environmental Health and the Road Department with the California Department of Justice’s Eradication and Prevention of Illicit Cannabis program and the Bureau of Land Management.[1]

Deputies said they seized approximately 151,177 marijuana plants, 19,973 pounds (about 9,060 kilograms) of processed marijuana and 11 firearms.[3] Investigators also reported thousands of pounds of garbage and hazardous pesticides at the sites.[1][2] Authorities said many operations were illegally diverting and polluting water from nearby streams.[1]

The investigation remained ongoing as detectives worked to identify and prosecute those responsible.[1] Property owners of record will be taxed based on the size of the illegal grows, according to the sheriff’s office.[3][2]