Oregon State Troopers Seize 250 Tons of Illegal Cannabis Valued at $500 Million

State Troopers in Oregon recently seized close to 250 tons, or 500,000 pounds, of illegal cannabis from an illicit growing operation in industrial size warehouses. The operation was located in southern Oregon’s Jackson County in White City. For reference, this is about 60 miles from the California-Oregon border.

The Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section, a team of the Oregon State Police, announced in a press conference on Saturday that a search warrant for five industrial-sized warehouses in White City, OR turned up 250 tons of illegal cannabis. This has an estimated street value of $500 million.

During the raid, police found more than 100 individuals. Many were migrant workers living in sub-optimal living conditions with no running water or adequate facilities. Additionally, they found what police described as an “epic amount of illegal, processed marijuana.”

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Illegal Cannabis Contributes to Higher Crime Rates in Oregon

Initially, more than 100 people were detained for questioning. Many were identified, interviewed, and then released, according to the OSP. The news comes recently after Jackson County Sheriff, Nathan Sickler, testified before a committee of the Oregon Legislature. He announced that the rapid growth of illegal marijuana farms in southern Oregon has caused the crime rate to go through the roof.

“We’ve had stabbings, robberies, thefts, burglaries, homicides, sex crimes, motor vehicle accidents, DUIs, all related to the influx of the marijuana-cannabis industry in our in our valley,” Sickler said. “It is certainly an issue we deal with on a daily basis here.”

The press release by the OSP stated along with the 500,000 pounds of cannabis, a firearm also entered their custody. Moreover, the Oregon State Police said the investigation at the five White City warehouses will take several weeks. Furthermore, the Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section team is working in conjunction with law enforcement agencies from Josephine, Jackson, and Klamath counties to conclude the investigation.

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