On October 5 and 6, 2026, deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET), with assistance from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Department of Cannabis Control, served multiple search warrants as part of investigations into illegal cannabis cultivation in the Rancho Sequoia Road area of Alderpoint and the Sawmill Road area of Garberville.
The properties were identified through aerial surveillance and did not have the required county permits and state licenses for commercial cannabis cultivation.
At one of the properties, deputies found substandard living conditions where workers were believed to be staying. These conditions can be indicative of labor exploitation. No individuals were present at the property when the warrant was served.
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
During the service of the warrants, deputies also eradicated approximately 3,102 cannabis plants and destroyed approximately 36 pounds of processed cannabis.
No arrests were made during the service of these warrants. The investigations will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for review.
Workers at illicit cannabis cultivation sites can face unsafe living conditions and other forms of labor exploitation. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office will continue to investigate these concerns and work to identify and address exploitation in our community.
