Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Team September 14-16th, 2021

“On 9/14/2021, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Unit served a search warrant for illegal marijuana cultivation in the 1800 block of Liberty Valley Road in Railroad Flat. Deputies seized 462 growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $323,000. No suspects were contacted at the scene. Evidence was collected and the investigation is ongoing.

Additionally, on 9/14/2021 an unrelated search warrant was served on Michel Road in Mountain Ranch. Deputies seized 508 growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $355,000. Additionally, two firearms were seized. One suspect was contacted at the scene. Phanh Saivong, age 51 of Visalia, CA, was issued a citation on charges of 11358 (C) H&S Illegal Marijuana and 11359 (b) H&S Possession of Marijuana For Sale.

On 9/15/2021, a search warrant was served in the 6300 block of Old Gulch Road in San Andreas. Deputies seized 974 growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $681,000. This location had been subject to a previous eradication search warrant in 2019 in which 399 growing marijuana plants were seized. One suspect was contacted at the scene and issued a citation. Kevin Leonel Casillas, age 23 of Tomatlan, Mexico, was issued a citation on charges of 11358 (C) H&S Illegal Marijuana and 11359 (b) H&S Possession of Marijuana For Sale.

On 9/16/2021, a search warrant was served in the 3800 block of Hwy 12 in Burson. Deputies seized 267 growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $189,000. No suspects were contacted at the scene. Evidence was collected and the investigation is ongoing.

Additionally, on 9/16/2021 an unrelated search warrant was served in the 4000 block of South Burson Road in Valley Springs. A large metal shop on the property had been converted to facilitate indoor marijuana cultivation. At the time of the warrant service, two growing areas within the shop were in operation.

However, several additional rooms as well as an upstairs area were still being constructed as growing areas. Deputies seized 1,000 growing marijuana plants with an estimated value exceeding $1,300,000. Two suspects were contacted at the scene. Yani Wu Dewu, age 47 of Valley Springs, and Aipeng Qu Feng, age 48 of Valley Springs, were issued a citation on charges of 11358 (C) H&S Illegal Marijuana and 11359 (b) H&S Possession of Marijuana For Sale.

The Calaveras Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with knowledge of illegal marijuana operations to call the Sheriff’s Office Anonymous Marijuana Tip Line at (209) 754-6870.”