Marijuana Eradication Team Serve Search Warrant in Salinas

Three San Jose Men Arrested

SALINAS—A lengthy investigations by the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department led to the arrest of three men from San Jose.  Authorities arrested Cuong Huy Tran, 34, Jose Luis Guizar, 21 and Loc Trinh, 23 all of San Jose.

Cuong Huy Tran

At about 3 p.m. last Wednesday the Monterey County Joint Narcotics Task Force along with the County of Monterey’s Marijuana Eradication Team (C.O.M.M.E.T.) served a state search warrant on a residence on the northwest side of Salinas.

The investigation revealed that the house on 585 Larkin Street was a possible “grow house” for marijuana.  Upon entry to the residence, their suspicions were confirmed as they found over 150 pounds of processed marijuana along with plants and seedlings.  The house was also rigged to received stolen electrical power

Jose Luis Guizar

“Marijuana grow houses” like the one found on Larkin Avenue are becoming a serious problem as technology has gotten so advanced that you can set up an entire growing operation in a house that measures only 2500 square feet.  And you can also grow year round instead of waiting for the growing season that typically runs from June through September.

“In the last five years indoor grow houses have becoming an epidemic in California as people see the appeal of making a quick buck,” Max Houser,  under Sheriff for the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, said.

Loc Trinh

Three subjects were seen leaving the residence before the search warrant was served.

Tran, Guizar and Trinh were questioned by authorities and later arrested and subsequently booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of marijuana cultivation, transportation, theft of utilities and conspiracy.

About twenty-five years ago the State of California started the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (C.A.M.P) as illegal marijuana growth farms were becoming so prevalent that California was responsible for a large portion of the national marijuana production.

Do to budget cuts project C.A.M.P. was reduced from six regions to three regions and project C.A.M.P became project C.O.M.M.E.T.  They still operate under the same CAMP ordinances and their main objective still remains the same – the eradication of marijuana growth both indoors and outdoors.

“Marijuana is all but legal now,” Under Sheriff Houser added, “but what people don’t know is that there is still violence associated with it.”   Houser referred to incident in Salinas a couple of years ago where a house was broken into and the owner shot and killed one of the intruders.  He was also growing in the house but it was ruled a justifiable homicide because the owner was protecting his property.

Read More:

The Californian: Deputies Arrest Three in Pot-Growing Case

KION 46: Marina Police Bust Marijuana Grow House