CENTRAL POINT, Ore. (Jun. 19, 2026) — Authorities seized approximately 25,000 marijuana plants and arrested a Central Point man after executing a search warrant at an illegal cannabis cultivation operation hidden within a pear orchard in rural Jackson County, officials said.
Detectives with the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) served the warrant Tuesday on a property in the 1000 block of Old Stage Road, where investigators discovered what they described as a large-scale black-market marijuana grow operating without any state licensing.
During the raid, authorities seized roughly 25,000 marijuana plants concealed throughout the orchard, 16,000 pounds of processed and usable cannabis, and an additional 1,470 plants being cultivated inside five hoop-style greenhouses.
Investigators arrested 35-year-old Jorge Alexander Ruiz of Central Point in connection with the operation. Ruiz faces three felony charges, including unlawful production, manufacture and possession of a marijuana item.
According to IMET, the property did not possess licenses for cannabis cultivation, handling or processing. Detectives said the farm had applied for an Oregon Department of Agriculture license to grow hemp while allegedly concealing marijuana starter plants among the pear trees.
The investigation involved assistance from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Oregon State Police.
Authorities said the case highlights ongoing efforts to combat illegal marijuana production in Southern Oregon, where law enforcement agencies continue to target unlicensed grows operating outside Oregon’s regulated cannabis market.
While state regulatory agencies oversee licensed cannabis operations, IMET officials said the task force remains focused on disrupting black-market marijuana activity throughout the Rogue Valley.
IMET is a multi-agency task force funded through a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission and includes personnel from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges have not been ruled out.
All suspects are believed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
Discover more from Medford Alert News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
