Marijuana grow houses–in suburbia
(sbsun.com) When authorities began finding marijuana grow houses in Southern California this year, they were shocked by their sophistication and by the complex Asian crime syndicates believed responsible for their establishment.
But after months of examining their history and movement, investigators say the appearance of the crime syndicates in the region was practically inevitable.
An organization similar to the purported network of marijuana grow houses established by Asian criminal organizations in the Inland Valley was first discovered nearly a decade ago in British Columbia, authorities say. A combination of factors fueled its move south: Canadian police focused more attention on its activity, and competing Canadian gangs began to set up their own grow houses, saturating the market.
What’s more, the large size of the customer base for marijuana in Southern California made the southward move smart from an economic standpoint.
But ultimately, the rise in marijuana grow houses - in the Inland Valley and elsewhere - is driven by the high value of the potent, THC-rich “B.C. bud” strain of the drug that can be grown only in controlled indoor environments.
The value per pound of the drug - as high as $6,000 - is on par with the value of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, making the production of marijuana a significant cash generator for criminal organizations.
And operating a grow house is relatively low risk. A person with no criminal record who is convicted of marijuana cultivation might be sentenced to only probation. Those found producing equivalent amounts of harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin could face up to 25 years in prison, said Michael Abacherli, a San Bernardino County deputy district attorney. (more…)
What is interesting about this story is that a few months ago and about 15 minutes from my house, the police busted several houses involved in the same thing. What really surprised me was that these gangs bought these homes at a price tag between $700-800k. These were very nice 4-6 bedroom homes with at least 4000 square feet of living space. I guess when you think about it, it was a clever idea at the time, because who would expect a marijuana grow house in a half million dollar home?
From what I understand (based on what the neighbors in that community told my wife), these gangs gutted out the entire house and made it into one big greenhouse (like the article described).
Another reason why you should know your neighbors.
