Illegal Marijuana Operation Raided in Rural Phoenix

Phoenix, Oregon- Detectives from the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) executed a search warrant this morning at a suspected black-market cannabis operation in rural Phoenix, Oregon. The raid, conducted on the 4000 block of Fern Valley Road, resulted in the seizure of approximately 6,054 marijuana plants located across 20 greenhouses on the property. Authorities confirmed that the site had no licensing for cannabis cultivation, handling, or processing.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the operation in Phoenix was linked to an illicit marijuana cultivation site in Northern California. IMET, with the support of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) and Oregon State Police (OSP), arrested one individual at the scene. Yuhua (also known as Shirley) Hong, 44, of Montague, California, was taken into custody and charged with three felony counts, including unlawful possession, distribution, and manufacture of marijuana. Authorities have referred charges against another suspect to the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.

In addition to the criminal charges, Jackson County Code Enforcement issued fines totaling $26,000 to the responsible party for violations related to unpermitted construction, solid waste, and operating a marijuana production site in violation of land use regulations. The Oregon Water Resources Department Enforcement section also joined the investigation to assess potential water usage violations, with further charges related to water usage possible.

The operation is part of IMET’s ongoing efforts to combat black-market marijuana activities in Oregon’s Rogue Valley. The task force, funded by the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission, is a multi-agency group comprised of personnel from JCSO, Homeland Security Investigations, OSP, the Medford Police Department, and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office. IMET’s focus is specifically on unlicensed and illegal marijuana operations, while regulatory agencies monitor compliance within the legal cannabis industry.

Investigations into the operation are ongoing, with detectives pursuing additional leads. Authorities have stated that no further information is available at this time.