On September 23, 2025, the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team once again demonstrated its central role in tackling illegal cannabis cultivation in Northern California. Working with deputies from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team executed three coordinated search warrants in the Island Mountain area of northern Mendocino County. Assisted by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, the operation targeted unlicensed commercial cannabis grows threatening both public safety and the environment.
According to officials, the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team inspected three separate parcels during the service of the warrants.
Environmental hazards were another focus of the September action. Assisting agencies working alongside the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team discovered multiple prohibited chemicals at the grow sites. These included imidacloprid and myclobutanil—pesticides highly toxic to pollinators and listed on California’s Groundwater Protection List as well as bromethalin, a neurotoxic rodenticide known to harm local wildlife. All three substances are banned from cannabis cultivation under the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, making the bust a significant environmental victory for the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team.
No individuals were contacted on site during the operation, but the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities say the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team is actively working to identify and pursue those responsible. They encourage anyone with information to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Crime Tip Line at (707) 268-2539.
This case illustrates the broad mandate of the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team. Beyond eradicating illegal plants, the team plays a crucial role in protecting California’s watersheds, wildlife, and legal cannabis industry from unsafe practices. By coordinating with neighboring counties and state agencies, the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team extends its reach far beyond Humboldt County, reinforcing Northern California’s efforts to regulate cannabis responsibly.
As legalization matures, the work of the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team shows that unpermitted grows using dangerous chemicals remain a serious challenge. Continued vigilance from the Humboldt Marijuana Enforcement Team and its partners will be essential to safeguarding both public health and the environment in the Emerald Triangle.