Nevada County Operation Destroys Nearly 15,000 Cannabis Plants
Operations in April and May targeted suspected polluting grows near Grass Valley.
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A photo of illegal cannabis plants shared by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.
GRASS VALLEY — Nevada County authorities recently completed a series of enforcement actions against illegal cannabis cultivation. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on four search warrants. Three warrants covered properties in Grass Valley, with the other addressing a site in Nevada City. The Sheriff’s Office says every location hosted illegal cannabis operations.
Teams eradicated 14,619 cannabis plants during the effort. Officers also seized 94 pounds of processed cannabis, including concentrated forms. Authorities also recovered 1.3 pounds of psychedelic mushrooms and two firearms from the sites. The partnership focuses on operations that risk polluting waterways, involve illegal dumping, or create water runoff problems. Partner agencies included Nevada County Cannabis Compliance, the State Water Resources Control Board, and Nevada County Environmental Health.
The plant total represents a sizable removal from the illegal supply chain. Cultivation research shows that outdoor cannabis plants produce widely varying amounts of processed product. Some documented cases and growing reports place yields from under one pound to several pounds per mature plant, depending on spacing, strain, and conditions. The live plants would have resulted in substantially more finished cannabis product if allowed to reach harvest.
Two individuals were arrested during the operations, and both were booked into Wayne Brown Correctional Facility. Charges included illegal cannabis cultivation, possession of cannabis for sale, and violations tied to environmental rules under the Water Code and Fish and Game Code. Additional counts covered conspiracy, possession of controlled substances, mushroom-related offenses, and evasion of cannabis excise taxes.
Similar joint eradication work occurs regularly in Nevada County, with multiple taking place in 2025 alone. One early summer effort removed thousands of plants and dozens of pounds of processed cannabis. A mid-summer series of warrants destroyed more than 17,000 plants along with hundreds of pounds of finished product. Another operation later in the year eradicated over 5,000 plants and more than 1,500 pounds of processed cannabis.
The Sheriff’s Office says additional search warrants are expected to be executed this season. Community members who suspect illegal grow activity can contact the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, or Nevada County Cannabis Compliance. Anonymous tips are accepted through the sheriff’s online crime tip form or by calling 530-470-2400.