On August 27th at 2:36 PM, Atwater Police Officer Kenneth Lee discovered a large scale illegal marijuana cultivation site in the 3400 block of Manchester Street. Officer Lee coordinated with Sergeant Ray Framstad of the Merced County Sheriff’s Office and arranged for the Merced Sheriff’s Marijuana Eradication Team to serve a search warrant on August 31st. Officer Lee and the Merced Sheriff’s team seized approximately 120 large mature marijuana plants, with an estimated the street value of approximately $360,000.
Outdoor marijuana grows like these are not only illegal, they can be the source of crime and violence in a community. Many California communities have seen shootings connected to these large scale marijuana grows. The Atwater Police Department would like to thank the Merced County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance. The investigation into this matter to identify the suspect(s) will be ongoing.
