A house on the 600 block of East Main Street in Ripon was raided on Wednesday morning by the Manteca and Ripon Police Department SWAT Team.
According to the Ripon Police Department, the Ripon Police Department’s Investigations Unit had reason to believe that the home was being used for an illegal cannabis growing operation, and a search of the house by police revealed more than 1,000 cannabis plants in various stages of development.
During the raid police discovered one suspect inside of the home – Song Mae Guan – who was arrested and booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on charges of operating an illegal cannabis growing operation and cultivation.
While cannabis is legal to grow for personal use in California, large-scale growing operations that exceed the 6 plants that can be grown by each legal-aged adult have become a target for law enforcement agencies looking to stamp out the illegal black market for cannabis and prevent other crimes associated with it’s growth and distribution.
Many homes that are used for the operations are typically modified to allow for the installation and use of high-powered growth lights – often, the work to make the house feasible for that use is done without the proper permits and safety checks. Because of the cost associated with running those powerful lights, illegal operations oftentimes bypass electricity meters illegally – a cost that is passed on to every other power customer – and in a manner that cause housefires and threaten neighboring structures.
Last month the Manteca Police Department busted a home in the Marsh Creek neighborhood – which is full of custom-built homes – that was being used for a massive indoor cannabis growing operation. Inside of the home police discovered more than 600 mature plants – each capable of producing a pound of cannabis flower that can be sold wholesale for between $400 and $450 a pound.
While no other arrests have been made at this time, Ripon Police detective Richard Francis is continuing to investigate and anybody with an information is encouraged to contact Francis at 209.599.0255.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
