Investigators seize more than 1,300 cannabis plants around Westbranch Road

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office conducted cannabis licensing enforcement this week at several locations around Westbranch Road in Santa Cruz County.

Investigators served search warrants at three unpermitted operations and seized 990 cannabis plants, around 213 pounds of processed cannabis flower, 440 cannabis vape cartridges, more than $9,100 in cash, three-quarters of a pound of cannabis concentrate and more than 1,000 cannabis candies wrapped in child-friendly packaging.

A county spokesperson said the candies did not have warning labels to let parents or children know the contents. The candies included necklaces with cartoon designs and gummy bears with labels that said “Bearly Legal” and with cartoon bears on the packaging. Those do not follow state regulations, but investigators do not know if they were packaged on site or if they were from out of state.

At two of the sites, investigators issued a total of $15,000 in administrative citations. Those citations were for commercial cultivation, distribution and manufacturing without a license.

Investigators also searched properties in the 600 block of Westbranch Road and the 500 block of Westbranch Road. In the 600 block, investigators seized 101 cannabis plants, and in the 500 block they seized 358 cannabis plants. A resident was also issued a $5,000 administrative citation for commercial cultivation and manufacturing.

Since the beginning of 2019, the Sheriff’s Office has conducted 63 site visits, served 42 search warrants and issued 112 administrative citations. During the operations, the Sheriff’s Office seized 12 guns, 49,000 cannabis plants, 2,700 pounds of processed cannabis flower and 13 pounds of processed cannabis concentrate.