An alleged illegal marijuana growing operation was shut down by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
The Office said in a press release that the investigations division determined that an illegal marijuana growing and processing operation on a 102 acre farm on Cebada Canyon Road.
Investigators cooperated with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.
According to the Santa Barbara County’s Sheriffs Office, the business had obtained several provisional cannabis licenses from the State of California, but under fraudulent terms.
When authorities determined that the business was operating illegally, they seized more than a million dollars of cannabis and cannabis products. Three felony charges were filed against Eli Sheiman and Mariette Wingard.
Marijuana use and limited cultivation is legal in California. However, the law requires a vendor of marijuana products to be licensed through the State of California.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff, started it's Cannabis Compliance Team in June of 2018. The team primarily focuses on its efforts on unlicensed and illegal cannabis grow operations within the county.
More information on local permitting and licensing is available at cannabis.countyofsb.org.
