White City, Ore. — A Beverly Hills, California man is behind bars in Jackson County accused of financing and managing an illegal marijuana operation in White City.
The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) and Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement team (MADGE) have been conducting a months-long investigation into black market sales. On Wednesday, the teams served a search warrant at a warehouse in the 1300 block of Antelope Road. According to the Medford Police Department, investigators found a large indoor marijuana grow that was not licensed or legal. More than 6,000 marijuana plants were removed and destroyed. Had the plants been processed, investigators say the street value would have been around $7,800,000.
Fourteen people were detained on site but later released. Saleh Shalomi was arrested. The Beverly Hills man is facing charges of Unlawful Possession, Delivery and Manufacture of Marijuana, as well as Money Laundering.
The multi-million dollar bust was also the first made by the illegal marijuana enforcement team or IMET. A task force formed after Jackson County was given a grant of about $580,000, dedicated to cracking down on illegal marijuana activity in southern Oregon.
“We’re pretty excited about that opportunity and the money that came in because it’s gonna give us a chance to do enforcement activities that we were otherwise unable to do,” Jackson County Sheriff, Nathan Sickler said.
IMET is hoping the White City warehouse bust, is just the first of many for the task force. Police say they’re working to promote more officers to the task force.
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