Full Notification

MEDIA RELEASE


Contact: Rick DiBasilio, Sheriff
Release Date: 8/4/17
Release Number: 3

(San Andreas, CA)


Update on Operation Terminus from 8/4/17- Press Release #3


Operation Terminus continues to move forward.

On 8/3/17 Calaveras County Sheriff’s investigators continued to serve search warrants related to the ongoing operation.

The updated seizure amounts are 28,650 marijuana plants, 12 Opium Pods, 31 tons of unprocessed marijuana, 1898 pounds of processed marijuana, 13 firearms, 1 piece of body armor and just over $57,000 cash. With over $50,000 cash seized at one location late yesterday afternoon. 35 arrests have now been made.

In addition to the arrests and seizures noted above the following criminal/environmental violations were issued or are being investigated. 97 California Department of Fish & Wildlife Violations, 29 Water Quality Violations, 24 Water Rights Violations and 5 Cal Fire land Conversion Cases.

As a reminder the Sheriff’s Office regular PIO Sergeant Anthony Eberhardt is unavailable this week and will be unavailable for follow up questions and requests regarding this event. The Sheriff of Calaveras County Rick DiBasilio will be your point of contact for press or media questions regarding this event.


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See below for previous press release #2




Beginning on 7/31/17 the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, California State Water Board, Central Valley Regional Water Board, Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire began the service of 23+ search warrants throughout Calaveras County relating to multiple ongoing criminal investigations regarding the illegal cultivation of marijuana and directly related environmental crimes. The series of investigations began approx. 6 months ago was titled “Operation Terminus.” For those who are unfamiliar “Terminus” means “the end of the line.” We are working in partnership with allied agencies to work toward ending the line of a large group of marijuana growers who have come into Calaveras County from across the United States and other parts of California committing crimes and causing significant environmental damage in Calaveras County. Due to the nature of our watershed systems in Calaveras County the environmental damage begins in our mountains and foothills has significant impacts “down to the end of the line” into other portions of California including the central valley and San Francisco Bay Area. More specifically the Mokelumne River watershed which leads directly into East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) reservoirs and the water source for millions of California residents. The area of this operation also includes the Stanislaus River drainage system which affects millions of residents and agricultural water in the central valley and beyond.


As a result, over 35 suspects have been arrested. As of this afternoon, over 27,000 marijuana plants and 25 tons of marijuana have been eradicated or removed over the last 4 days. At least 11 firearms have been seized including firearm(s) with the serial numbers removed and an assault weapon or (weapons). A little over $7,000 cash has also been seized. And it is important to note that at one location we made two arrests and seized weapons and body armor.

A significant number of environmental crimes have also been located. The environmental crimes located include but are not limited to damage to the watersheds and waterways. Investigators also found Illegal pesticide/herbicide use and evidence of marijuana growers discharging human waste into waterways.

In addition several locations contained dangerous conditions that could have caused wildland and or structure fires through unpermitted or substandard electrical connections or by placing running generators to operate in areas with dried grasses or fire fuels.

The Operation Terminus criminal cases will be sent to the Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office for review. The District Attorney has sworn in a specialized circuit prosecutor from the California District Attorneys Association to assist with the cases involving crimes against the environment.


The Sheriff’s Office regular PIO Sergeant Anthony Eberhardt is unavailable this week and will be unavailable for follow up questions and requests regarding this event. The Sheriff of Calaveras County Rick DiBasilio will be your point of contact for press or media questions regarding this event.


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