Drug enforcement authorities Thursday confiscated more than 1,000 pounds of processed marijuana from a Betabel Road building.
Authorities also arrested 12 suspects on site after about 30 people fled from the building, believed to be a marijuana processing plant and a residence for workers.
The following is the statement released from the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
While conducting initial investigative actions regarding the odor of Marijuana from a property in the 9000 block of Betabel Road in San Juan Bautista, members of the Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team noted a strong odor of Marijuana from a particular building on the property. During this initial action, UNET attempted to make contact with the occupants of a vehicle leaving the address and a person on the grounds. The vehicle fled from law enforcement and the subject ran away from the building into the nearby woods.
About this same time, 20 – 30 males fled from the building (with the marijuana odor) into the nearby woods and hills. Twelve subjects were detained either attempting to flee the building or hiding inside during a protective sweep.
As a result of the Search Warrant service, over 1,000 pounds of processed marijuana, most packaged for pound sales, was seized. It is believed this structure was being used as a marijuana processing center and as a residence for the “workers.”
The twelve subjects were arrested and booked into the San Benito County Jail for the Cultivation/Processing of Marijuana; Possession for Sales of Marijuana and Criminal Conspiracy.
It is estimated that the value of the collected Marijuana is approximately $1,250,400.00 (at $1,200.00 a pound).
Assisting in this investigation were the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Clara County Specialized Enforcement Team (SCCSET) and the Gilroy Police Department.
Suspects arrested were from Fresno, Selma, King City, Salinas, Santa Rosa, East Palo Alto, Morgan Hill, Bakersfield, Gilroy and San Jose.
