Quick Take
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies were carrying out a search warrant Wednesday morning related to illegal cannabis activity at a warehouse on the outskirts of Watsonville, in Monterey County, multiple agencies confirmed to Lookout.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office deputies were carrying out a search warrant Wednesday morning related to illegal cannabis activity at a warehouse in Monterey County on the outskirts of Watsonville, multiple agencies confirmed to Lookout.
Kevin McInerney, commander for the Law Enforcement Division of the State Department of Cannabis Control, said the investigation isn’t related to immigration. He added that FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration agents were assisting at the site, located near the intersection of San Juan and San Miguel Canyon roads. He said all 21 employees were released.
The large law enforcement presence, however, alarmed people in the Pajaro Valley region, with many suspecting that the activity was related to immigration. Several people reached out to Your Allied Rapid Response (YARR), a network of people who monitor suspected immigration enforcement, and the Watsonville Police Department.
The Watsonville Police Department posted on social media that the investigation is being led by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department and directed people to contact that office. Watsonville police spokesperson Michelle Pulido said she was unaware of any courtesy calls in recent days from the office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, indicating that its agents planned to be in the area.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to Lookout via email that the investigation is about an illegal marijuana grow warehouse and not immigration-related. Investigators arrived at the 1400 block of San Juan Road in Royal Oaks on Wednesday morning, and the probe was ongoing as of early afternoon.
“This investigation is connected to another investigation being conducted in San Bernardino County,” a San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokesperson wrote to Lookout. “This investigation is being done with assistance from multiple outside agencies. If assistance is required from agencies local to that area, they will be requested.”
The spokesperson declined to say whether anyone was being detained and on what charges: “No information available at this time, investigation is ongoing.”
McInerney, from the state’s cannabis control office, said the site under investigation has one property owner who subleases to multiple cannabis license holders. The property owner was on site Wednesday with law enforcement.
An ICE spokesperson couldn’t immediately respond to questions about whether the agency was active in the area.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Commander and Public Information Officer Andres Rosas said his agency wasn’t involved in the investigation.
About 10 to 15 concerned community members, including several volunteers from YARR, gathered across the street from the warehouse.
This is a developing story; check back for updates.