3/5/2018 MARIJUANA INVESTIGATIONS NTF TEAM 9 NARCOTIC TASK FORCE TEAM 9 • Indoor marijuana cultivation operations • Outdoor marijuana cultivation operations • Clandestine THC extraction labs (BHO labs) • Although we are the marijuana team, our primary focus is on DOMESTIC CANNABIS. 1
3/5/2018 HOW DID WE GET HERE!!! • Prior to 1996 – Cartel Grows • Outdoor grows • 1996 Compassionate Use Act (Prop 215) – Outdoor grows – Indoor grows – Marijuana Dispensaries • 2010 Formation of Team 9 – Investigations WHERE WE ARE TODAY • Outdoor grows • Indoor grows • Marijuana Dispensaries • Delivery Services • Investigations reveal Mexican Drug Cartels involved with “Medical Marijuana” • 2012 San Diego begins seeing THC Extraction Labs • Nov 8, 2016 – California legalizes “Recreational Marijuana” Prop 64 YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT • INDOOR GROWS – What they are – Dangers • OUTDOOR GROWS – Where they are – Dangers • THC EXTRACTION LABS – What are they – Dangers 2
3/5/2018 INDOOR GROWS • POTENTIAL DANGERS – Electrical – Fire – Mold – Flooding – Structural damage – Code violations – Contamination from disposal of contaminated water. – Chemical INDOOR GROWS ELECTRICAL HAZARDS • Ballasts • Fans • A/C units / Dehumidifiers • Pumps & timers • High Intensity Discharge Lights • Electrical upgrades not to code • Bypasses – And then add water to the equation 3
3/5/2018 ANY ELECTRICAL HAZARDS??? CIRCUIT OVERLOAD CHEMICAL HAZARDS • Carbon Dioxide • Propane Generators • Refrigerants • Mercury from bulbs • Numerous chemicals are used in indoor grows to promote plant growth and to control insects/pests/disease. 4
3/5/2018 STRUCTURAL 5
3/5/2018 THEFT OF ELECTRICITY • What’s the cost? – Theft of electricity costs energy companies billions of dollars each year, while posing a significant risk to life and property. WHO IS REALLY PAYING FOR IT? • Indoor growers are using scams to get electricity at reduced rates: – Low Income – Non Profit – Medical Equipment – Medical Patients Even with these reduced rates, growers frequently steal electricity, often times undetectable to Law Enforcement. 6
3/5/2018 BYPASS Allows growers to go undetected for high energy usage related to marijuana cultivation and allow them to steal electricity. 7
3/5/2018 This bypass powered this room. This room. Another set of sub-panels in the garage off the same bypass. 8
3/5/2018 To supply an additional grow area located in the garage of the residence. This one connection accounted for un-metered energy supplied to the grow for the amount of $170,000.00. FIRE 9
3/5/2018 Residence #2 Residence #1 Residence #3 Residence # 4 This address along with three other related addresses amounted to: Residence #1 - $170,000.00 - $190,000.00 Residence #2 - $180,000.00 - $220,000.00 Residence #3 - $143,660.00 - $153,493.00 Residence #4 - $1,241,281.00 - $1,299,941.00 Totaling $1,734,941.00 - $1,863,434.00 OUTDOOR GROWS • Where are they? – All over San Diego County – 4,526 square miles – Private lands, public lands – anywhere there is water and sunlight. • How do we find them? – Air assets • Who is responsible? OUTDOOR GROWS • Notify Team 9 by phone or email 10
3/5/2018 OUTDOOR MARIJUANA GROWS WHO? • Mexican Drug Cartels are primarily responsible for the majority of outdoor marijuana cultivation operations found on public lands in San Diego County. 11
3/5/2018 WHAT TO LOOK FOR • Fresh foot trails • Irrigation tubing • Natural barriers made of cut brush • Suspicious vehicle/pedestrian activity • Odors of marijuana or food cooking • Breaches in perimeter fencing • Dead wildlife 12
3/5/2018 What to look for? 13
3/5/2018 HAZARDS OF MARIJUANA GROWS • WILDFIRES – California is in it’s 6 th year of severe drought. – A State of Emergency still exists. WILDFIRES • Candles • Stoves • Cigarettes • Lanterns • Matches/lighters • Batteries 14
3/5/2018 ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS • Numerous chemicals are found in marijuana grows – Fertilizers – Herbicides – Insecticides – Pesticides • Most found in grow sites are banned/restricted in the United States ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS • Contaminates water ‐ ground water/watersheds • Contaminates ground • Kills/damages plant life • Kills/sickens animals • Dept of Fish & Wildlife estimates for every acre used for growing marijuana, 10 acres are destroyed. Zinc Phosphorus 15
3/5/2018 ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL 16
3/5/2018 ENVIRONMENTAL FURADAN FERTILIZER 17
3/5/2018 TRASH CELLPHONE CHARGER Reclamation Efforts • Make attempts to clean affected areas. – Fatigue/Heat Conditions – Air Assets/Fuel – Time – Accessibility • Fish and Wildlife ‐ Coordinate reclamation. • US Forest Service ‐ Coordinates Forwarded • BLM 18
3/5/2018 Reclamation Costs • ONDCP ‐ Estimates approximately $15,000.00 ‐ $18,000.00 per acre for clean up. • National Conservancy ‐ Estimates initial restoration and repair costs exceed $90,000,000.00 a year in California and $120,000,000.00 when including law enforcement. WATER • A recent study estimates marijuana plants require an average of 6 ‐ 9 gallons of water per day, per plant. – High water retention soil • Growers will drain precious natural resources. • If natural resources aren’t available, the water is stolen. • Diverting natural waterways. WATER THEFT 19
3/5/2018 DAILY RD, FALLBROOK WATER • This grow only contained 695 marijuana plants • 695 plants X 6 gallons of water per day = 4,170 gallons of water per day • 4,170 gallons per day X 150 days = 625,500 gallons VALLEY CENTER WATER AUTHORITY 20
3/5/2018 SAN MARCOS POACHING POACHING • Growers kill wildlife – To prevent wildlife from feeding on marijuana plants – To keep wildlife away from the grow area – As a food source 21
3/5/2018 GREY FOX • This grey fox was caught in a snare trap in a marijuana grow found in Chihuahua Valley. ANYONE HUNGRY? 22
3/5/2018 RISKS TO YOU • Armed confrontation with growers – Kidnappings – Killings – Shot at • Booby traps • Exposure to dangerous chemicals/toxins – Water contamination – Soil contamination – Air contamination THC EXTRACTION LABS • Process of removing the THC from the plant material through chemical extraction/synthesis – Volatile substances • Butane • Propane • Ethanol 23
3/5/2018 THC EXTRACTION LABS • Nonvolatile substances can also be used – Alcohol – Carbon Dioxide THC EXTRACTION LABS • We classify THC extraction labs into 3 categories – Blasting – Closed Loop – Super critical BHO Extraction Labs • The process of chemically extracting tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from marijuana plant material using a solvent (butane). • THC is a psychoactive compound found within the entire marijuana plant. (Over 400 chemical compounds/80 cannabinoids). • Generally, higher concentration of THC in the flower or bud of the plant. 24
3/5/2018 BHO Extraction Labs • Marijuana trimmings collected during the cultivation process, commonly referred to as “shake,” are utilized during the extraction process. Extraction Devices • Extraction devices are typically long tubes either PVC, metal or glass. • The devices are tightly packed with marijuana plant material. • At one end is a small hole where butane in introduced into the device. • The other end is where plant material is loaded into the device and covered with a filter or screen. BHO Extraction Labs (Butane) • Butane is an extremely flammable gas/liquid. • Is a low ‐ lying gas/heavier than air. • Odorless and colorless. • Wants to be a gas. • Easy to ignite. • Around $2.00 ‐ $5.00 per can (individually). • About a can used for each ounce of plant material packed into the extraction device. 25
3/5/2018 BLASTING BHO Extraction Labs • THC collection vessels are typically large Pyrex ‐ type cooking glassware items. • Easy to collect THC draining from extraction device. • Large surface area to purge Butane from THC. • Easy to collect finished product after the purging process is completed. BHO Extraction Labs 26
3/5/2018 BHO Extraction Labs • Once THC is drained into the glassware the butane purging process is initiated. • Purging is typically accomplished by applying heat to the THC while inside the glassware using electric griddles or hot plates. • Electric or manual vacuum pumps are also utilized in the butane purging process. WARNING SIGNS 27
3/5/2018 WARNING SIGNS WARNING SIGNS WARNING SIGNS 28
3/5/2018 WHEN THINGS GO WRONG BHO Extraction Labs • Finished THC/Concentrated Cannabis commonly referred to honey oil, hash oil, wax, ear wax, dabs, shatter, 710. • The process of manufacturing BHO is commonly referred to as “blasting.” • Contains 60% ‐ 90% THC. (Per DEA Chemists) • Sells for about $50 ‐ $80 a gram. FINISHED PRODUCT 29
3/5/2018 CLOSED LOOP TAMESIUM Dangers of Closed Loop Systems • Leaks – Butane explodes/CO2 displaces O2 • Unstable fittings • Extremely high pressure (Especially CO2) • HAZ/MAT and Fire Department 30
3/5/2018 TAMESIUM MISHAP SUPER CRITICAL 31
3/5/2018 WINTERIZATION HAZARDS OF WINTERIZATION NEW TRENDS 32
3/5/2018 REFINEMENT DON’T BE THIS GUY! NTF / DEA Team 9 LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE 33
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