Mokelumne Hill, CA…On 11/13/2017 Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office deputies served a search warrant for an illegal indoor marijuana grow operation at a residence in the 8000 block of Hwy 49, Mokelumne Hill. After securing the scene, Sheriff’s deputies located 1506 marijuana plants, 12.59 pounds of processed marijuana packed in individual plastic bags and a scale.

A male subject, Rien Zhang (age 30 of Mokelumne Hill) was found attempting to enter the property and was subsequently arrested for 11358(c) H&S cultivation of more than six plants. He was booked into the Calaveras County Jail with bail set at $20,000. The marijuana grow was eradicated and County Code Enforcement responded for multiple code violations including unpermitted electrical work which caused the breakers on the power pole nearby to trip. This case is still under investigation.

The Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information on potentially illegal marijuana cultivation sites or sites manufacturing concentrated cannabis to call the Sheriff’s Marijuana Tip Line at (209) 754-6870.