Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department seized an illegal marijuana grow operation worth more than $3 million in street value during a raid Wednesday in Hacienda Heights.
According to officials, the Industry Station County Special Assignment Team executed a search warrant targeting the unlicensed grow and found that the home had been bypassing its electrical panel and meter, stealing an estimated $500,000 worth of power over several years. Southern California Edison said the home was consuming about $18,000 in electricity per month.
“Today’s operation sends a clear message that criminal activity will not be tolerated in Los Angeles County,” said Captain Glenn Emery of the Sheriff’s Industry Station. “Our communities deserve to live free from the dangers and risks associated with illegal marijuana grow operations.”
Authorities emphasized that the theft of electricity poses a major fire risk to surrounding neighborhoods and can endanger both residents and first responders. Illegal grows may also contribute to environmental damage and attract other criminal activity, according to law enforcement.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the deputies from the City of Industry Station, particularly those assigned to the Unincorporated Area Task Force,” said L.A. County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, who represents the First District and serves as Chair Pro Tem. “This specialized task force, which I have proudly supported with $525K in funding for this fiscal year, has played a vital role in addressing quality-of-life concerns across Hacienda Heights and other unincorporated areas in the First District.”
Solis added that coordination with Southern California Edison, which helped flag the home due to abnormal power usage, was “instrumental in identifying and dismantling this illegal operation.”
The home has since been shut down and an investigation is ongoing.
The search and seizure were part of an ongoing effort to combat illegal grows and protect public safety in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.
