HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA – July 27, 2016– Hollister, CA – On July 26, 2016, about 2:51 pm am, Police and Fire responded to a structure fire on Mulberry Court. The investigation revealed the residence had been converted into an illegal marijuana grow. A total of 502 marijuana plants were located and the residents fled the scene.
The Hollister Fire Department and Hollister Police Department were dispatched to a structure fire in the 1100 block of Mulberry Court on the afternoon of July 26, 2016. Initial reports were that the residence was a possible methamphetamine lab. The Office of Emergency Services and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team were activated to assist with the lab. It was soon discovered to not be a lab, but an illegal large scale residential marijuana grow.
Due to the quick response of the Hollister Fire Department, the neighboring residences were not damaged. The cause of the fire is believed to be from the illegal diversion of electricity to bypass the PG&E system. The additional electricity was needed to operate the large fans and extra lights for the illegal operation. The internal walls of the residence had been changed to make the growing operation larger.
The Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team seized a total of 502 marijuana plants and other evidence of the operation. The house was deemed not habitable due to the structural changes, holes in floors and damage from the fire. Due to staining it is believed that the used fertilizers and chemicals from the illegal operation were disposed of in the municipal sewage system.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Hollister Police Department. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call WeTip at 1-800-78-CRIME. Calls to WeTip can lead to rewards of up to $1,000.
Prepared by: Dan Winn, Sergeant
Approved by: Eric Olson, Lieutenant
