Jackson County Sheriff Oregon – January 19, 2021
Jackson County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team Seized More Than A Million Pounds of Cannabis, Several Pounds Cocaine, Heroin, Meth, Fentanyl; $2.3 Million Cash, More Than 150 Firearms Last Year
The Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) has released their 2021 year-end seizure numbers. Last year, IMET detectives worked 145 cases, served 57 search warrants, and made 60 arrests. While serving the search warrants, investigators seized more than a million pounds of black-market marijuana, several pounds of other illicit drugs, 158 firearms, and more than $2.3 million in criminal forfeiture.
These warrants led to the seizure of:
- nearly 650 thousand live marijuana plants, equating to more than a million pounds of unprocessed cannabis.
- 70 thousand pounds of processed cannabis ready for sale, worth an estimated $30 million.
- Investigators discovered 134 pounds of butane honey oil, a substance commonly extracted through a highly volatile process that started numerous fires in the County last year.
- Other cannabis derivatives seized included five pounds of liquid THC,
- nearly 53 gallons of marijuana concentrate
- more than five gallons of cannabinoid extract.
- While searching for black-market marijuana, detectives discovered other illicit drugs including more than a pound of cocaine
- nearly 14 pounds of methamphetamines
- more than two pounds of heroin.
- Investigators also uncovered enough fentanyl to kill more than 16 thousand people; seizing nearly 33 grams with a lethal dose estimated to be around two milligrams.
- Other drugs seized included more than three pounds of psilocybin, and 551 doses of LSD.
The IMET task force includes personnel from Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Medford Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. IMET is funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. This upcoming year, the team is looking to increase illegal marijuana enforcement through additional state allocated funds. The team is optimistic that this potential additional funding will be a substantial help in diminishing the black-market marijuana problem in the Rogue Valley.
