More than 10,000 marijuana plants were eradicated during raids on six locations in Southern California, authorities said.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said six warrants involving marijuana cultivation were served Monday on locations in unincorporated areas of the communities of Hemet, Sage, Winchester, Homeland and Nuevo.
In addition to the plants, 211 pounds of processed marijuana was collected, along with five firearms, tractors, a generator and containers of a pesticide that is banned in California, the department said.
Five people were arrested.
State Fish and Game, California Water Board and county code enforcement officials also participated in the enforcement actions.
“Marijuana cultivation negatively impacts the environment in many ways including diminishing and poisoning the water table and pesticides adversely affecting the health of neighboring residents,” the department said.