On November 4th, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department conducted a raid on an illegal marijuana cultivation house in the Perris area of California. Approximately 200 pounds of illegal marijuana were seized during the operation.
Officer Jeremy Parsons, of the Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) leading the operation, stated in an interview with Epoch Times that officers removed around 210 pounds of partially processed illegal marijuana from the premises. He estimated that if this black market marijuana were to be trimmed, processed, and packaged for sale, its market value would range between $100,000 to $300,000, with prices per pound ranging from $500 to $1,500, depending on quality.
During the enforcement process, officers repeatedly announced their presence to execute a search warrant, but received no response from inside the house. They then made forced entry and discovered approximately 200 marijuana plants inside. “We entered the house forcefully and confirmed there was no one inside. The entire house had been converted for marijuana cultivation and was unoccupied,” Parsons said, noting that the plants had recently been harvested and were drying inside.
Parsons explained that the Sheriff’s Office had received complaints from community residents about the pervasive smell of marijuana, prompting the MET to investigate and trace the source of the odor. “The entire garage had been converted into a marijuana cultivation room equipped with cultivation trays, fans, lighting equipment, and an automatic irrigation system, all timed with watering and light switches. Two other rooms in the house had also been converted into similar cultivation spaces,” Parsons added.
Personnel from Southern California Edison (SCE) arrived on-site to inspect a wall behind the electricity meter that had been tampered with. Parsons mentioned, “We’re not electricians, but we notified Edison, and they confirmed that the location was stealing electricity by bypassing the meter.” The Santa Ana Regional Water Board personnel also inspected the site but did not find any violations related to water resources.
Inside the house, officers found a handwritten threatening note that read: “Pay up! Don’t push your luck. The choice is yours. Either pay up, or… (profanity).” Parsons stated that it is currently unclear whether the note is related to the marijuana cultivation.
“Clearly, this is a threatening note found at a marijuana cultivation site,” he said. “We know that violence can occur at marijuana cultivation sites from time to time. This is one of the important reasons why we actively combat such behavior.” Parsons emphasized that shutting down illegal indoor cultivation sites helps improve community safety by reducing fire and violence risks associated with power theft. The electricity consumption of the illegal growers was estimated to be about ten times that of a typical household in the same community.
Parsons indicated that law enforcement may not always be able to determine if small-scale illegal cultivation is connected to drug trafficking organizations, as these cases vary widely – from organized crime to small family “grow and sell” operations, with some simply growing more than the legal limit.
No arrests have been made at the scene, and the case remains under investigation. Parsons remarked, “We see this as an unregulated black market cultivation site. This time we did not find prohibited chemicals, but they have been found in many other cases.” Illegal growers may abuse “any chemical agents” and “any methods of electricity theft” to undercut prices, harming legitimate operators who comply with regulations and hold licenses.
MET is a full-time unit dedicated to investigating marijuana-related crimes in Riverside County. Parsons stated that on average, they execute around 150 to 200 search warrants per year.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco is running for California Governor in 2026. Bianco expressed a commitment to aggressively combat drug crimes and prioritize public safety over politics. He was first elected Sheriff in 2018 and successfully re-elected in 2022.