Huge pot bust south of Temecula is one for the record books
"It's so much, we're still weighing and counting it,'' said sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez.
Boxes of marijuana are stored after more than 25,000 pounds of the the drug was found in a tractor-trailer Wednesday. (photo by Riverside County Sheriff's Department)
More than 25,000 pounds of marijuana was seized today by Riverside County sheriff’s deputies – the largest confiscation of the drug in Riverside County history by the agency — who located the monster load in a big rig during a routine traffic stop just south of Temecula.
“It’s so much, we’re still weighing and counting it,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez. “A conservative wholesale price for this amount of marijuana is $10 million … and the price goes up the farther north and east you go.”
The seizure is the largest in the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department history, he said.
A patrol deputy discovered the haul around 9 a.m. after stopping a big rig driver headed north on Interstate 15, just past the Rainbow Canyon Road exit south of Temecula, for a traffic violation.
“The guy made an unsafe lane change,” Gutierrez said.
A search of the trailer revealed the contraband “stacked from front to back — solid,” he said.
Gutierrez said the marijuana was packed in 25-bundles that were placed in boxes.
“There was no real attempt to hide it,” he said.
The driver, whose name was not released, was in the custody of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents, who are handling the investigation, Gutierrez said. The driver was described as Hispanic and his identification was being confirmed, Gutierrez said.
Tags: riverside county sheriff's department, Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez, SWRNN
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Comment by: maryjane Posted: August 26, 2009, 8:57 pm
A big thank you to the Riverside County sheriff’s department !!!
I know of locals who use this weed-and become half-wits as a result!
Comment by: Half-Wit Posted: August 27, 2009, 9:42 am
Such a waste of lovely cannabis. Perhaps the Sheriff can drop it off at my house?
Comment by: maryjane Posted: August 27, 2009, 11:53 am
maybe your lovely wife can dropp you off somewhere else as well!
Comment by: Tony Adams Posted: August 29, 2009, 11:58 am
I think this great haul should be divided up and donated to all the San Diego and Riverside medical marijuana collectives. It could help so many sick and dying people. This marijuana could be used to ease the symptoms of chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, wasting syndrome and a whole host of other diseases that this precious plant helps with. If the DEA is going to burn it, just tell us where. Anybody standing within a mile should be able to get medicated for free!
Comment by: michael-leonard Posted: August 29, 2009, 5:32 pm
“this haul should be donated to all the San Diego and Riverside medical marijuana collectives.”
What a GREAT idea! To bad our ‘elected representitives’ (Board of Supes) are all against it.
Comment by: Ryan Posted: August 31, 2009, 1:27 pm
Unfortunately, the cops receive absolutely no training indicating that it is legal for you to posess marijuana if you have a prescription. All of their training indicates all marijuana, including hemp, is an addictive drug with no medical benefit at all. For all we know, it could be a shipment going North to medical collectives elsewhere. But truth be told its probably just one more casualty in the war between drug cartels. Tip off the cops and your rival loses millions. The true lawbreaking is the graft and violence that surrounds those involved from the criminals and on to the cops themselves. If you want to see something sad, look at the civil asset forfeiture laws where people every day lose everything they have even if they are able to prove their innocence. Where does the money, TVs, cars, jewelery, etc go that is taken when your home is raided when you are accused of being a drug dealer, regardless of whether you are proven innocent? Into the pockets and personal possession of the cops staging the raids. Thats right, even if you are proven innocent in court there is no legal requirement for your catalogged posessions to be returned or you compensated, and thats just the cataloged items. The uncatalogged ones are never seen from again. Again, crime that would not happen if marijuana was legal. Civil asset forfeiture laws are the reason cops like drugs being illegal. If drugs were legal, the cops would have only drunks, and true criminals to police.
Comment by: Guy Posted: September 5, 2009, 2:46 pm
“If drugs were legal, the cops would have only drunks, and true criminals to police.”
Maybe do your commentary BEFORE you hit the bong next time.
Comment by: Jason Posted: September 10, 2009, 2:18 pm
What a waste of taxpayer money going after a harmless drug. Alcohol and tobacco are FAR less lethal than Marijuana. And to see other people like “Mary Jane” spread rumors and lies about Marijuana is the reason it is still illegal.
Eventually those in their 40’s and above will die off, and the stigma and ignorance attached to Marijuana will die with them, and the world will be left with the FACTS, marijuana is a harmless plant that has significant medical uses, as well as a safe “intoxicant” that has less harmful effects than alcohol.
These cops should be arresting and putting away drinkers and transporters of ALCOHOL!