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Property owners face $1.25 million in fines following pot raids By Vickie Aldous Updated: Oct 12, 2022 01:27 PM A A 4 View all photos A tractor drives through an uncovered greenhouse, destroying marijuana plants near Sams Valley. [Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office] Owners of three pieces of property in Jackson County face $1.3 million in fines after police raided suspected illegal marijuana grows. [Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office] The owners of three neighboring properties north of Sams Valley are facing nearly $1.25 million in code enforcement fines after police busted suspected illegal marijuana grows there last week. The raids in the 18400 block of East Evans Creek Road revealed 113 greenhouses with approximately 8,675 black-market marijuana plants, 7,155 pounds of processed illegal marijuana and $46,000 in cash, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Officers used a tractor to destroy the marijuana. A law enforcement officer sweeps dried marijuana out of a building during a raid. [Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office] The sheriff’s office didn’t release the names of the property owners but said the three properties are owned by different individuals. Jackson County Code Enforcement issued $701,000 in new fines for violations that included garbage and unpermitted greenhouses and electrical work on the properties. One property owner was cited for similar violations last year and has $548,000 in fines from that case, the sheriff’s office said. That brings total fines to $1,249,000. As a result of the raids, 17 workers and one child were detained, interviewed and released. Medford agents with the federal Homeland Security Investigations agency identified and interviewed potential victims of forced labor trafficking with the assistance of HSI victim advocate specialists and forensic interview specialists, the sheriff’s office said. UNETE, a Medford-based center for farmworker advocacy, responded to assist the workers and provide support services. Grant funding from the state helps UNETE partner with law enforcement to address the poor treatment of migrant workers being victimized at illegal marijuana grows, the sheriff’s office said. An aerial photo shows marijuana-filled greenhouses north of Sams Valley. [Photo courtesy of Jackson County Sheriff’s Office] Detectives with the multiagency Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team served a search warrant at the three properties with assistance from the sheriff’s office, HSI and the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section Team. The raid was the result of a monthslong investigation of a black-market marijuana growing and processing operation. Detectives have identified primary suspects, and investigations are ongoing, the sheriff’s office said. Those suspects could face criminal charges. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous.