Arrest made in connection with marijuana bust near Loma Fire
LOS GATOS, Calif. (KGO) -- Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of marijuana was seized from a property inside the Loma Fire zone and one man was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail in connection with the bust.
The property had three greenhouses, one of which burned in the Loma Fire, but two were still standing with dozens of plants inside.
Sky 7 was overhead as members of the Santa Clara County Marijuana Eradication Team busted a grow operation on Loma Chiquita Road.
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Authorities have arrested Yariv Dorr. He's expected to be charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.
"Many of these operations could start a fire, at any part in Santa Clara County, so that's why we take these very seriously, and why we partner with other agencies to do these investigations," said Santa Clara County Sheriff's Sgt. Rich Glennon.
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A total of 89 plants were recovered today, some as tall as 12 feet, weighing more than 40 pounds a piece. Cash and scales, as well as packaged marijuana were also found.
Investigators estimate the street value of all of the seized marijuana during Wednesday's operation at approximately $700,000. The sheriff's office says the property is not where the Loma Fire started, but says that it is in the same area.
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"In many of these operations, the wiring is very rudimentary, so not up to code," Glennon said.
It's all concerning for many residents given California's drought and the dry conditions near Loma Prieta. That, combined with winding roads and rough terrain initially caused issues for crews as they worked to contain the fire, which has since burned more than 4,400 acres, but is now close to full containment.
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