Authorities seize 20 tons of illegal cannabis in 4-day raid in Santa Barbara County

Authorities have seized 20 tons of illegal cannabis in a raid that took four days complete following a two-month investigation.|
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

SANTA BARBARA - Authorities have seized 20 tons of illegal cannabis in a raid that took four days complete following a two-month investigation.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's office also says Saturday it destroyed 350,000 cannabis plants from the illegal grow outside Buellton, about 140 miles (225 kilometers) from Los Angeles.

Police say the raid began June 17 and it took officials four days to seize the cannabis. They also executed a search warrant in Santa Maria in San Luis Obispo County.

The sheriff's office says cannabis was grown year-long and a large amount had been harvested previously.

Officials say they also probed fraudulently obtained state cannabis licenses and the suspected sale of undocumented cannabis.

Authorities say the property owner had not been contacted or found as of Saturday.

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