Butane Honey Oil Lab Discovered During Black-Market Marijuana Raid

In a joint operation led by the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET), detectives executed a search warrant at neighboring black-market cannabis grows located in the 2000 block of Rogue River Highway in rural Gold Hill. During the operation, law enforcement uncovered a clandestine Butane Honey Oil (BHO) laboratory, leading to significant legal repercussions for the property owners.

The search warrant was initiated after IMET received tips regarding concerns about the local irrigation canal water drying up. Jackson County Code Enforcement took action and issued a citation totaling $887,710 for multiple violations, including the unauthorized hydrocarbon extraction facility using butane gas and the absence of proper land use approval for marijuana production.

The operation yielded substantial results for investigators, as they confiscated 1,221 illegal marijuana plants, 1,851 pounds of processed cannabis, 12 BHO jars, and $17,900 in cash. Notably, there was no licensing in place for any form of cannabis growing, handling, or processing at either of the locations.

Four suspects were present on the properties during the warrant’s execution, and charges against them will be filed with the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) and the Medford Police Department (MPD) provided assistance to IMET throughout the operation.

Additionally, the Oregon Water Resources Department District 13 Watermasters will issue three separate Notices of Violation (NOV) for three distinct well locations on the properties. Despite these properties being customers of the Gold Hill Irrigation District with access to the canal, they were found not to be diverting water from the authorized source during the Watermaster’s investigation. This Oregon Water Law strictly prohibits the use of domestic well water for commercial cannabis cultivation or exceeding 1/2 acre for watering purposes. Violations of this nature can incur both civil and criminal penalties.

The Watermaster’s office had received multiple anonymous reports in early September, alerting them to excessive water usage from the canal, which contributed to the drying up of the allotted source.

While regulatory agencies continue to scrutinize permitted cannabis operations, IMET remains dedicated to combatting the black-market marijuana trade in the Rogue Valley. IMET is a collaborative multi-agency task force, funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, comprising personnel from JCSO, MPD, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

The investigation is ongoing, with detectives actively pursuing additional leads. At this time, authorities say no further information is available for public release.