SANTA BARBARA More than 3,000 pounds of processed cannabis were seized during an investigation of an illegal marijauana grow Monday just outside the city of Goleta, authorities said.
Detectives from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Cannabis Compliance Team conducted the investigation in the 5200 block of Shoreline Drive after numerous community complaints were made to the county’s Planning and Development Department and the sheriff’s office, said Kelly Hoover, sheriff’s spokeswoman.
Detectives determined that the site formerly operated under a temporary state cannabis license, but the license expired and no progress was made to renew it, Ms. Hoover said.
“Despite this expired license, the operator continued to cultivate, harvest and sell cannabis illegally,” Ms. Hoover said.
“As a result of this activity, detectives determined all existing plants had been recently harvested in preparation of being sold.”
Detectives were unable to contact the operator of the site, Ms. Hoover said.
