There are hundreds of agents in Humboldt County from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, Lt. George Cavinta of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said this morning.
A command post has been set up at the River Lodge in Fortuna, he said.
FBI special agent Joseph M. Schadler said there are approximately 450 agents from the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service, Postal Inspection Office and a "sprinkling of agents" from the Drug Enforcement Agency in the county.
A mobile command post and a tactical operation center have been established at the River Lodge, he said.
There are approximately 2,000 acres of commercial marijuana growing operations in Humboldt County and 27 locations are being targeted, Schadler said.
Agents are not targeting 215 medical marijuana users or grows, he said. They are targeting for profit grows by people who have pooled their funds together to establish large marijuana growing operations. Agents are searching homes, seizing weapons and removing marijuana plants. They are not anticipating any federal arrests today, he said. People will be taken into custody but agents do not plan any federal charges against those people until the end of the week.
Efforts were made to keep the operation secret for the safety of the agents and the suspected marijuana cultivators, Schadler said.
Agents arrive in Humboldt | The Eureka Reporter