EAGLE POINT, Ore. – A local drug enforcement team is releasing more details about the conclusion of a months-long investigation into illicit drug sales and trafficking.
The Medford Area Drug and Guns Enforcement (MADGE) team learned an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program grow site at the old Willamette Egg Farm of Highway 62 was operating outside of legal guidelines. Detectives determined marijuana grown there was being shipped out-of-state.
At 10:30 Tuesday morning, the Medford Area Drug and Guns Enforcement (MADGE) team raided the 80-acre property. Once the site was secured, police found a significant amount of marijuana grow sites, methamphetamine and guns. Police also served a search warrant at a separate location in the 200 block of Reanna Way in Medford.
In total, five people were detained at the two locations. The main suspect in the investigation, 51-year-old Clifton Dwight Crump, was arrested by undercover officers at a local motel. Convicted felon 32-year-old Benjamin McFarland was arrested at the old Willamette Egg Farm on an outstanding warrant. He was also in possession of methamphetamine and a handgun.
Police said while the grow was a “legal” medical marijuana site, the property was well over the plant and product limit. 239 marijuana plants were removed and destroyed. Several hundred pounds of processed marijuana was found at both the Highway 62 location and the Medford home. The total estimated weight of the processed and unprocessed marijuana was estimated to be about three tons.
Medford police Lieutenant Mike Budreau says he’s seen many groups in the valley abuse the medical and recreational marijuana laws, often growing more than permitted. “They produce more marijuana than they’re really able to consume or even allowed to have. And that’s where they jump into the black market sales,” Lieutenant Budreau said.
Investigators also found over 100 grams of butane honey oil, over 14 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, over a pound of methamphetamine and over $7,600 in cash.
The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are anticipated.
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