KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. – A 1979 Freightliner water truck was seized during a raid at an illegal marijuana grow just south of Keno on the Oregon-California border Thursday.
According to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, officers also seized 1,216 marijuana plants and 180 pounds of processed marijuana ready for distribution.
The property belongs to 62-year-old Moua Y Lo of Wisconsin who police say was not at the location during the search.
An estimated 170,000 gallons of water was illegally misappropriated and according to the sheriff’s office, this was the first time the agency has seized a water truck as evidence.
Officers believe it was being used to transport and furnish water to multiple nearby illegal grow sites.
“The seizure of a water-truck used in the illegal manufacturing of marijuana creates a significant interruption to this form of criminal enterprise. Interruption, and keeping these criminals from profiting, has been the two-fold goal since we began our eradication efforts years ago,” said Klamath County Sheriff Chris Kaber.
Also discovered were two unpermitted greenhouses, infrastructure for drying marijuana, potentially harmful fertilizers, as well as a considerable amount of debris and trash scattered across the property.
The sheriff’s office is recommending several criminal charges to the DA including appropriation of ground water.
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