Pubdate: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 Source: Porterville Recorder (CA) Copyright: 2012 Freedom Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.recorderonline.com/sections/editor-form/ Website: http://www.recorderonline.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2887 Author: Rick Elkins MARIJUANA IS A GROWING CONCERN IN THE VALLEY Law Enforcement Anticipating Double Number of Illicit Gardens Last week's bust of several illegal marijuana gardens on public land in the hills of Tulare County clearly demonstrates the battle to curtail the illicit gardens is just beginning. Capt. Mike Boudreaux of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department said he expects to see double the number of illegal gardens in the foothills and mountains and a tri-fold increase in the number of gardens on the Valley floor over last year. "There is so much demand," said Boudreaux of the crop that you won't find listed among the top 10 agricultural crops in the county, but one that would probably rank among the county's top 10 crops in terms of value every year. Last week's take down of 11 illegal gardens in the foothills and mountains carried a value of $319 million, according to the sheriff's department. Officials said 106,525 plants were chopped down. Boudreaux said so far this year the sheriff's department has busted 28 grow sites in the foothills and mountains and has identified nearly 1,000 gardens on the Valley floor. In all of 2011, only 14 gardens were discovered in the mountains and 600 on the Valley floor. "Oh, it's big time," said Supervisor Mike Ennis of the problem this year. He said he receives about two calls a week from residents telling him of marijuana gardens. "I go to look at one grow site and make a turn and there's two more," said Ennis. Boudreaux said one reason they are finding more gardens in the hills is they are giving that area more attention. Ennis said another reason is the long winter last year made it more difficult to set up the gardens in the mountains. Despite the extra enforcement, the threat of seizing the property and stepped up code enforcement, Boudreaux said the growing of marijuana continues to escalate. Ennis said the county is spending at least $600,000 this year fighting the illegal business. The county has added a code enforcement officer just for marijuana enforcement and is armed with an ordinance that allows for a hefty fine for a property owner who does not comply with the county's code for growing marijuana. That code does not allow the growing of marijuana except for in industrial zoned areas. In March, the country increased its code enforcement efforts. Under the new procedures, when a citizen files a complaint with the county about a code violation, the alleged violator will be given a 10-day notice to bring the property into compliance. If the matter is not addressed, the violator could be assessed a $765 fee to place the matter on the administrative hearing agenda, along with a daily fine of $100 per day, per violation (per plant). "I know they are aggressively seeking that type of seizure," said Ennis of the ordinance that allows the county to take the property even if the grower is a renter. About 200 notices have been sent to property owners and Ennis said about 60% of those have complied. "We've had a tremendous amount of success of seizure notices," he said. Boudreaux said marijuana growing enforcement is a challenge. "Our hands are tied. We are limited as to what we can do. It's a difficult endeavor," said Boudreaux of the state Compassionate Care Act that allows a person with a letter from a doctor to possess and grow up to a certain amount of marijuana. Most Letters of Recommend, as they are called, allow up to 99 plants. While the sheriff's department's hands are tied if the person has the letter and is within the limit of plants allowed, Ennis said that is where the code enforcement comes into play so they can still shut down the garden. Both Ennis and Boudreaux said it would be much simpler to enforce federal law which makes the possession and growing of marijuana illegal no matter the reason. However, Bourdreaux said deputies have to respect the rights of those who are growing it legally, even though officials believe that only about 1% of those found growing marijuana are doing so legitimately. Of the busts made last week, Boudreaux said it did not appear all of the grow sites were connected, but believed a few were the same operation. Officers found 30,000 plants at one site and 29,000 at another. Four men were taken into custody, all residents of Mexico in this country illegally. Unfortunately, noted Boudreaux, the growing season is really just getting started. Noting that there have been nine murders connected to the growing of marijuana in Tulare County over the past two years, he is fearful of that level of violence occurring again this summer. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt