Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 15 december 2017
California police bust multimillion-dollar weed ‘fortress’

marijuana plants and shut- erties owned by the same
ting down an operation woman and seized 18,000
they believe was bringing in pounds (8,164 kilograms)
millions of dollars a month. of marijuana in total. Eight
Investigators first turned people who were working
their sights on the illegal in the warehouse in down-
grow operation about two town San Bernardino were
months ago after receiv- detained by police, but no
ing complaints from neigh- charges have been filed in
bors. They found the once- the case, Madden said.
abandoned warehouse Investigators are still trying to
had been outfitted with a determine where the mari-
12-foot metal rolling fence, juana was being sold, Mad-
“fortified doors,” a large den said.
concrete wall around the Police were investigating
parking lot and surveillance the owner of the proper-
cameras. ties, Stephanie Smith, 43,
Inside the four-story ware- but she was not arrested
house, police found thou- or charged with a crime. A
sands of plants stacked next telephone number for Smith
to one another under heat could not be located in
lamps on wood tables and public records.
an advanced irrigation sys- California voters have ap-
tem. proved the legalization of
The electric bill for the prop- marijuana, but growers must
erty was about $67,000 per receive licenses and permits
month, police said. from local governments
“In my 26 years, it was the and the state. Recreational
biggest grow that I’ve ever pot sales start in California
seen,” San Bernardino po- on Jan. 1, joining the long-
lice Lt. Mike Madden said. running medical cannabis
“There were all different industry.
In this photo is a shut down marijuana operation of some 35,000 plants police believe was bringing rooms for different process- “Marijuana has been legal-
in millions of dollars a month in San Bernardino, Calif. es and hydration, filtration ized, but there are stringent
(San Bernardino PD via AP) and ventilation. It was pretty requirements,” Madden
extensive.” said. “It’s not that you just
By MICHAEL BALSAMO LOS ANGELES (AP) — Po- raided a weed “fortress” on Police and federal investi- get to set up shop where
Associated Press lice in Southern California Wednesday, seizing 35,000 gators raided three prop- you want to set up.”q
Firefighter fatality reported

at huge California wildfire

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. as the fire raged last week.
(AP) — A firefighter died Her body was found inside
Thursday while working a the wrecked car along an
colossal wildfire burning in evacuation route.
coastal mountains north- A return of gusty Santa Ana
west of Los Angeles that winds brought renewed
has become the fourth activity to inland portions
largest in California history. of the so-called Thomas
The death, but no details Fire straddling coastal Ven-
of the circumstances, was tura and Santa Barbara
confirmed in a statement counties.
from Chief Ken Pimlott of Authorities said it now cov-
the California Department ered 379 square miles (982
of Forestry and Fire Protec- square kilometers). That
tion. surpassed a blaze that
“The incident is still unfold- burned inland Santa Bar-
ing, but in this world of bara County a decade
fast moving information ago.
it is important to me that Firefighting costs so far
only actual information be were tallied at $74.7 million,
shared,” he said. according to Cal Fire.
The firefighter was identi- Some evacuations were
fied only as a Cal Fire engi- lifted and the risk to the
neer from a San Diego unit. agricultural city of Fillmore
Pimlott said his family was was diminishing. But coast-
notified. al enclaves to the west
It was the second death remained under threat as
linked to the fire. A 70-year- crews protected hillside
old woman was killed in a homes in Montecito, Sum-
car crash while evacuating merland and Carpinteria.q