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Posted on Jun 22, 2008 - 8:55
Willits, California is home to the largest organized marijuana producers in the world.

Amid the rumors and hysteria taking place here in Humboldt County, the DEA actually was raiding indoor growing operations as recently as last Wednesday in Willits, the outdoor pot growing capital of the planet.

With the help of the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force (basically the Mendo version of the Humboldt County Drug Task Force), the Drug Enforcement Administration served warrants at multiple locations in three different investigations in the Willits area.

All three investigations began as a result of "citizen complaints" about the pot growers. That's right, pissed off neighbors are actually turning growers in now.

Two of the three investigations were big time--one grower was cultivating 660 plants on his property and operating a massive butane honey-oil extraction lab, and another guy was arrested after feds raided his 52-light grow room and found over $150,000 in cash, 15 pounds of pot, and 10 firearms. The third bust was relatively small: Randy Graynor was growing 49 plants in one house and 115 plants in another house and had $15,000 and two Mercedes-Benz cars at his home in Petaluma.

Anyway, what is scary about this story for Humboldt County growers is that the state of affairs here in Northern California is such that nosy neighbors are actually calling the feds and turning in pot growers. Granted, all three of the busts in the story sound like they were big time criminal operations, but it still makes for a rather 1984-ish feel since not all growers are criminals, especially here in the Arcata area where most growers are likely staying well within the county-defined limits and are actually using marijuana for medical purposes.

Looking around the local blogosphere we have seen many anonymous comments about reporting growers to the feds. We at Humboldt County News certainly do not condone big time greed and criminal marijuana production, but we do support compassionate use and marijuana growing within the limits of state law.

The sad truth is that pot growing is tearing our community apart. We have citizens calling the DEA on their neighbors, a newspaper editor who spies on the homes of residents he suspects are growing pot, wild rumors of large-scale federal raids, and a constant influx of outsiders migrating to our county because they heard that money grows quick under HID lamps.


<< Feds Came and Went - Now What? Humboldt Growers in State of Fear as DEA Raid Week Approaches >>

By truth is freedom, on Jun 22, 2008 - 15:41
we need to implement the 10th amendment, like oklahoma

the federal government serves the states... the united states of america??? if the feds do not recogonize what the states pass, why should the states recognize anything the feds pass?
this government is completely chaotic...
maybe this is all about greed, envy and jealousy... are these neighbors who rat getting paid to turn in their community? how about the media? think about it... the fed is acting out of complete illegality as to what the constitution states. i for one know this fed government is not my government. its time for a change from the top on down
whats the real issue? capitalism?
wake up america, we are being lied to!!!

By anonymous, on Jun 22, 2008 - 18:18
well, the article doesn't mention 215 at all. maybe the people who were busted really were criminal drug dealers? i mean come on the one guy had like 150 grand and 10 guns and 52 lights. that's not medicinal, no matter what you think about state's rights. besides, the local authorities worked with the dea on this one, so it's not like the feds came in and trampled on states rights in this scenario.

however i do agree with your opinion, it just doesn't apply to this story.

By theo therme, on Jun 22, 2008 - 22:15
since when is having cash illegal? i thought we lived in a capitalist country.

By anonymous, on Jun 22, 2008 - 23:01
i'm pretty sure cash by itself is not illegal. however when you have 10 guns, 52 lights of illegal pot plants and 150 thousand bucks in cash it's pretty damn obvious that the money is related to the illegal drug producing operation.

sheesh theo you think you can just do whatever the hell you want? did you forget we have laws in this country? it's not a fucking anarchy for the love of crimey.

COULD YOU please READ THIS?

By truth is freedom, on Jun 24, 2008 - 1:00
52 lights of illegal pot plants?
what you sayin anonymous, you dont stand for anything huh?
this country deserves anarchy
what you perhaps, maybe not know is that we got criminals running these 'laws'
tell me anywhere where it says in the constitution about federal is above all
we got a police country, people forgot what this country was founded on FREEDOM, this scenerio that is supposedly goin on now jus raises more questions about what really is legal and what is not.
do the knowledge to oklahoma
they are claiming sovereighty, seperating themselves from the union... thats right ya heard of the american union? we are there... this is criminal madness, orchestrasted madness, and we jus sit back and expect criminals to protect us... theres a method to the madness, where does it say we are a democratic country in the constitution? how about capitalism? the method is Organized, Directed and Financed by criminals, these fake bankers, how about this irs, federal reserve, does the constitution back this up?

freedom or death people
this shit is serious and bigger than this alone.

its right time for non violent anarchy and peace, a real rebel revolution.
unless push comes to shove and we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, which may be soon, just overnight 30,000 people went to concentration camps, this isnt nothin new, we have these internment camps in america, is this america?
its bright time to wake up and smell the hate... it STINKS!

By theo therme, on Jun 24, 2008 - 6:54
cash isnt illegal, we live in a capitalist country. pot isnt illegal, prop 215 passed in 1996. co-op grows are allowed.

why are some people so intent on destroying the local economy??

By theo therme, on Jun 24, 2008 - 6:56
by the way, guns arent illegal either.

By anonymous, on Jun 24, 2008 - 10:16
dude, theo, you are sadly misinformed. Pot IS illegal if you don't have 215 (the criminals in the article did not have 215). Cash IS illegal in that quantity when there is also an illegal drug manufacturing facility in the same place. Guns ARE illegal when they are combined with criminal pot growing.

All the charges are real, and all of them are appropriate. Why would you support the greed of a person who grows 52 lights of illegal pot (NOT medicine) and has $150k in cash for himself as well as guns (an indicator of violence when coupled with illegal drug production)?

By Humboldtgrow.com, on Jun 24, 2008 - 10:39
I personally know the person you speak of with ten guns and 52 lights. His name is Tim Berry. To label him as a criminal when you know absolutely nothing about his individual circumstances is ludicrous. Tim has guns because he likes guns. He grows weed because he that is pretty much the only way you can afford to buy a home in mendocino county. If he had $150k in stashed, good for him. It all came from southern california and if he didn't do it , someone else in his neighborhood would have.

doesn't matter. Crime is crime.

By anonymous, on Jun 24, 2008 - 11:46
well did he have 215? Was it medicinal? Was it being sold for profit? The law states that you cannot profit from medical marijuana sales.

and i can't believe you people who think that growing pot is the ONLY way to make money. You fucking retards, GET A FUCKING JOB. Besides, you don't need 52 damn lights to make a mortgage payment. I hope Tim Berry gets tried as a criminal and locked up, because it is NOT OK to sell $150k worth of illegal pot and not pay taxes on it.

Get real humboldtgrow, growing pot for profit is not legal, and it is not ok. Grow a couple plants for yourself if you wanna smoke, sell a pound to the local club to make ends meet, but you can't sit around with $150k cash in your fat house in the hills and not expect the feds to bust your ass.

a 'job' is subjective...

By truth, on Jun 24, 2008 - 14:05
why do you judge and criticize?

greed is greed

please dont sterotype, who are you to classify and define?

the real truth
oil
and the oil monopolies, since the beginning of oil there has been a war on drugs, perhaps the feds are gettin paid by these oil men because we want to supply ourselves with whatever we want and that means no drug making money for the criminals
i prefer tax dollars goin to bustin crack and meth houses which have a much deeper negative impact on society, if we are comparing...
wake up, if our government doesnt make $ on something, what do they do?
ill take herb before ill take big pharma med LOL anyday

we are taking the power back, and OUR fed government doesnt like it.. remember it is we the people, state law is above federal law, read the 10th amendment... we OWN the feds, as a UNIT of FREEDOM
DONT BE BULLIED AROUND BY THESE 'MOBSTERS'
WE GOT TO STAND UP TOGETHER IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGE!!!!

By Humboldtgrow.com, on Jun 24, 2008 - 17:09
It seems that "anonymous" and I disagree on one vital point. I disagree with the fact that marijuana is illegal. If you want to continue fighting the war on drugs, fine. I understand your point and I have many friends and family members that would agree with you. Many of us are of the opinion that marijuana does not deserve its current legal status and that society as a whole would be much better off if marijuana was legal, taxed, and regulated by a gov. agency such as the f.d.a. When alcohol was illegal I'm sure there were a lot of people like yourself, screaming at bootleggers to get a real job. But if you look around mendocino county today, winemakers and grape growers are some of the wealthiest, most respected people in the community. Look, all I am saying is that just because growing marijuana is illegal today doesnt mean that it is morally wrong and that its legal status couldn't change. If marijuana were to become legal would you be making the same arguments?

By truth, on Jun 25, 2008 - 20:02
yes i would be making the same statement, what you think, im blind? this current government and the truth behind it needs to go
this is bigger than pot, get your eyes out your ass and actually smell the real roses.

what is this conflict really about, look behind the issues and whats going on around the globe...
and our
OUR
government acts this way......

this is not my government, no one takes a stand cuz we are all afraid to admit the truth

we have been lied to.... not just now, for days long past...

i guess somethin about bein in a dream is exciting for some, especially if it feels good... a delusion of illusions

so bascially if your the government doin the policing and shippin in drugs and gots just gobs and gobs of money its ok, large corporations doin the govs bidding even if its illegal, thats ok?

time for the hypocrisy to end people

By anonymous 2, on Jun 26, 2008 - 11:15
Justreading the way the "pro" potgrowers talk, and the mentality of their choice of words said it all. Right now it is tuff for anyone to make a living, with how our ecomony is. But we all do the best to stay afloat, with out breaking the law. You just don't break the law to get rich. It is wrong.
Drugs are ruining our society.Has any of the Pro's lost a child or a brother, to drugs? Watch the news. Drug dealers are criminals, plain and simple. Good for the law enforcement agents. They are at least earning their wages the right way.

wake up anonymous

By truth, on Jun 27, 2008 - 11:10
our government breaks the law all the time and its ok
they break the law all the time in the name of money and profit earning

marijuana is not a 'drug' to classify it as that is a disgrace
it is MEDICINE...

WAKE UP it is the law that is illegal.
they are earning their wages the right way?
really whats "the right way"???
i think you have no idea how wrong theyre right way is...

LOL

By crapfactory, on Jul 2, 2008 - 19:55
haha "it is the law that is illegal"

That is so awesome in so many ways! GOOD POINT DUDE!

(you fucking moron)

anonymous???

By whatever, on Jul 13, 2008 - 8:16
Yeah, I've "lost" friends and relatives to "drugs", but never because of POT!!!

Get REAL!!!

By beans, on Sep 21, 2008 - 15:22
pork

By Bonehead, on Jan 2, 2009 - 4:21
I was going to post a comment but I forgot what I was gonna say.

By jester, on Jan 23, 2009 - 19:50
pot growers are losers!! get a job!!

US Patent 6630507 - Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants

By US Patent 6630507, on Jan 26, 2009 - 0:23
anonymous

Here read this and tell me the federal government isn't trying to do Morally wrong by hurting innocent people, while they secretly develop and synthesize the therapeutic properties of cannabis, so they can get rich by mortal sins!!
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507.html


anonymous
I will be checking back for you response!
And yes I have MS and use cannabis CAUSE I NEED IT! not synthetic CRAP!

Thank you,

Whysojealous?

By GrowforProfit, on Feb 26, 2009 - 4:51
The argument could go on all day. I just have a couple points for people to think about. All medical marijuana users can't, don't or won't grow marijuana themselves. ( I don't because I don't want feds kicking down my door, I'd rather just buy it) Therefore SOMEONE needs to grow excessive amounts. So, who will it be? Anonymous said "growing pot for profit is not legal and it is not ok" and almost in the same breath said "sure sell a pound or two to the local clinic to make ends meet". What the hell is that? People can sell for a little profit but not much? What happens if you do really well and get more weed per plant than you planned for? Probably just throw it away right?
The hypocrisy with marijuana is just insane to me. If you have EVER smoked marijuana you should be for legalization. How could you do something yourself and then think other people should get in trouble for it? Everyone can't grow small amounts of marijuana for themselves and friends. Thats the way this country works. Some people farm, some people are good with money (investments/banking), some people are good at designing communities etc. etc. on down the list. Then everyone essentially trades with each other for things they want, this is called commerce.
People need to take a step back and realize where the wealth of this nation came from. Slavery, bootlegging (look at the Kennedy's), arms dealing, FDA approved drugs (have you looked at the side effects of those by the way?). It wasn't all bad stuff but seriously people stop trying to harm you fellow Americans over bullshit. NO ONE SHOULD GO TO JAIL FOR MARIJUANA. In any way shape of form.

Power to the people

By Real Life, on Mar 9, 2009 - 12:18
Listen, since the judicial system allows a jury trail the power is still in our hands. All we have to do is unit as one and vote not guilty or cause constant mistrials instead ignoring jury subpoenas when come out. Also monitor who you vote into office.

By wheredidadamgo, on Mar 27, 2009 - 6:59
I think that anyone who thinks it should be ilegal is crazy. For one, it IS the number one cash crop in america. If it was legalized, economic revenues would skyrocket. On top of that, thousands of people die yearly in alcohol related accidents, how many people has pot killed?
NONE
People need to get real, if you are smart enough to make hundreds of thousands of dollars growing, you should be congradulated.

Who the hell is this guy?

By flfarmer, on Jun 30, 2009 - 13:44
Does anyone now who the hell this "anonymous" guy is? He makes several points that leads me to believe he is the narc who rolled over. Beware my narco friend, hide, look over your shoulder, there are more of us than there are of you. Be careful out there bonehead.
Everyone just needs a reality blunt.

By J, on Oct 23, 2009 - 20:35
They came to my house too. Destryed it looking for pot. Made me walk around naked the whole time. That is how i exited my bed as they busted the door down and came in. They only found six medical plants and left. Broke many things as well as doors and locks (even thought I gave them the keys). how come there is no mention of people like me in these stories???

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