Thousands of marijuana plants have been confiscated after investigators say they discovered a multi-million-dollar illegal marijuana grow in Ventura County.
Search warrants were served Friday on two properties located on the 13000 block of Grand Avenue, just outside of Fillmore. Detectives found about 8,000 marijuana plants on 80 acres of land. They determined it was illegally being operated under the guise of a marijuana cooperative as part of the Compassionate Care Act in which California voters legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes.
"They are turning it into a very lucrative business," Captain Garo Kuredjian said. "So, they are hiding behind that veil of it's compassionate care. There is no compassion or care. It's a moneymaking operation."
He said there are also environmental concerns on how they were obtaining water and how they manipulated the electrical system, which could have posed a danger to nearby residents.
Eight people were detained, but no arrests have been made. The marijuana plants will be destroyed.