LUCERNE VALLEY • County law enforcement teams served search warrants at four locations in Lucerne Valley last Monday and Tuesday, resulting in the discovering of illegal outdoor marijuana cultivation operations and the arrest of nine people.
Another search warrant was served in Landers, netting 1,018 marijuana plants and 100 pounds of processed marijuana. Four were arrested at the Landers raid.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Marijuana Enforcement Team and deputies from the High Desert region conducted investigations over the two-day period.
In Lucerne Valley, the following locations were raided:
• 38043 Cuarto Street – 915 marijuana plants seized
• 35525 Grandview Road - 379 marijuana plants seized
• 34343 Agate Road - 538 marijuana plants and 17 pounds of marijuana seized
• 30516 Desert View Road - 242 marijuana plants and 2 firearms seized
The largest bust occurred at 60222 Bearing Tree in Landers where 1,018 marijuana plants and 100 pounds of processed marijuana were seized.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the following people were arrested at the Cuarto Street residence: Sal Simpraphone, age 49, (Lucerne Valley), Thinnakone Simpraphone, age 52, (Lucerne Valley), Photchana Laosy, age 46, (Lucerne Valley), Pikul Rattanamart, age 38, (Lucerne Valley), Unnop-nop Boonprom, age 56, (Lucerne Valley) and Eddie Laosy, age 43, (Lucerne Valley).
The following people were arrested at he Grandview Road residence: Bounsou Sengprachanh, age 65, (Porterville), Keo Xayachack, age 60, (Porterville) and Khamphoune, age 68, (Porterville). The charges under review.
The following person was arrested at the Agate Road residence: Edgar Figueroa, age 52.
Suspect identification is pending for the Desert View Road residence.
Altogether more than 3,000 marijuana plants were seized, the department stated.
According to a Sheriff's Department press release, the locations were found to have large-scale outdoor marijuana cultivations in unsecured fenced in areas. The investigations revealed all of the marijuana cultivation operations were illegal and not in compliance with California medical marijuana laws and/or the County of San Bernardino ordinance regulating marijuana cultivation.
The large amount of marijuana seized at the individual locations suggests the suspects had no intention of abiding by California’s medical marijuana laws and were strictly for-profit operations. Many of the suspects were utilizing fictitious medical marijuana recommendations in an effort to deceive law enforcement personnel into thinking the operations were legitimate.
The County of San Bernardino has an ordinance prohibiting outdoor marijuana cultivations. San Bernardino County Code Enforcement personnel assisted with the cultivation investigations for administrative enforcement of County Code violations. The Sheriff’s Narcotics Division will continue to enforce California marijuana laws as well as the San Bernardino County Ordinances regarding marijuana cultivation and distribution. Persons found to be violating state marijuana laws and county ordinances or utilizing medical marijuana recommendations under false pretenses are subject to fines, prosecution and seizure of property.
Anyone with information regarding the above investigations or other illegal cultivation locations is urged to contact the Sheriff’s Narcotics Division at (909)890-4840. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip Hotline at www.wetip.com.
Leader senior reporter Peter Day contributed to this report.