LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger: Giant Farms Popping Up In Antelope Valley Desert Areas Are Illegal Marijuana Growing Operations
ANTELOPE VALLEY (CBSLA) — Illegal marijuana grows are popping up in the Antelope Valley desert, causing all manner of problems.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger shared two photos taken from a helicopter of what appeared to be an expansive farm. She identified the farm as illegal greenhouses growing marijuana.
In the Antelope Valley, illegal greenhouses are growing marijuana in the desert. Illegal growers are setting up on residents' private property, stealing their water, contaminating local groundwater, and leaving trash. I'm working with law enforcement to crack down on operations. pic.twitter.com/2ADnwc7PXF
— Supervisor Kathryn Barger (@kathrynbarger) May 27, 2021
"Illegal growers are setting up on residents' private property, stealing their water, contaminating local groundwater, and leaving trash," she said in the tweet.
Law enforcement in recent weeks have made increasingly frequent arrests and seizures from illegal marijuana growing operations from all over Southern California. Where seizures used to number in the hundreds of plants, they are now several thousands.
A CHP operation cracking down on large scale water thefts last week ended with the arrests of four people and the seizure of dozens of vehicles in Lancaster.
Barger says she is working with law enforcement to crack down on such operations.