VOLUME 25 ISSUE 36 / SEPTEMBER , 2021 / THE SOURCE WEEKLY

Cartel Grow Op Busted

Over 9,000 cannabis plants, 2,800 pounds of marijuana seized at farm in Alfalfa, where cops say at least 10 people were working “involuntarily”

By Jack Harvel

Cops confiscated a massive amount of marijuana and a handful of weapons from a 30-acre property in Alfalfa, east of Bend, that detectives say was operated by a Mexican drug cartel. Detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement team concluded their long-term investigation into the property on Sept. 2, are forthcoming once additional follow-up investigations are complete.”

Police say most of the laborers at the site were Mexican nationals who were illegally trafficked into the United States to work in the illegal marijuana trade involuntarily.

“We identified 10 immigrants that made disclosures about their status in

“We identified ten immigrants that made disclosures about their status in the US. Most were working at the operation to work off personal or family debts owed to a cartel in Jalisco, Mexico” —Kent van der Kamp

where they found over 9,000 marijuana plants in over 40 greenhouses, 2,800 pounds of processed marijuana, an AR-15 rifle and two pistols. Twenty-one people were detained and released at the scene and one was arrested but released with citations. A press release from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said, “Detectives expect arrests the U.S. Most were working at the operation to work off personal or family debts owed to a cartel in Jalisco, Mexico,” said Sgt. Kent van der Kamp of the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team in an email to the Source Weekly.

The Sheriff’s Office noted that illegal marijuana grows can disrupt water sources for other neighbors.

“Since the beginning of DCIME, investigators have found illegal marijuana grows diverted or stolen significant water from nearby homes, commercial farms, or directly from pumps connected to underground sources in the arid central Oregon high desert,” a press release from the Sheriff’s Department said. “This particular grow site used underground water and maintained a complex watering system

Over 49 greenhouses containing over 9,000 marijuana plants at various growth stages, over 2,800 pounds of processed marijuana and three firearms were confiscated from a cartel-operated farm in Alfalfa, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

that supplied several on-site 15,00020,000 gallon cisterns.”

DCSO also said the site was using pesticides that could threaten residential water supplies and that the electrical system was hazardously assembled in a way that made it susceptible to fire.

Record High COVID Cases In Oregon

COVID cases and hospitalizations soar—largely among unvaccinated people

By Jack Harvel

Courtesy Churehill/Wikimedia Commons

Oregon COVID cases and hospitalizations are exceeding pandemic highs. Only 57 of Oregon’s 883 ICU beds are available when this story went to print.

“The delta variant continues to ravage communities across Oregon, our hospitals are scrambling to avoid being overtopped by record numbers of COVID-19 patients,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon State Health Officer, in a video for the Oregon Public Health Division. “Daily cases and hospitalizations and sadly, recently, deaths associated with COVID-19 have been hovering at or near pandemic highs over the past several weeks.”

Sidelinger said the upward trend will continue unless more people get vaccinated and indoor mask mandates are followed. Currently 73.1% of Oregonians are either fully vaccinated or have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and a mask mandate for all indoor public spaces and outdoors where distancing isn’t possible went into effect on Aug. 27.

“Our hospitals have reached the saturation point; our health systems are not able to provide the care to everyone arriving at their doors. That means fewer beds for anyone who experiences a medical incident, be it a broken leg, a heart attack or injuries from a car crash,” Sidelinger said. “Needed surgeries and procedures are being delayed and it’s the breaking point we have all dreaded and one that we must avoid.”

Over 98% of current cases are from the Delta Variant, according to OHA, and hospitalizations are largely made up of unvaccinated people.

“An overwhelming majority of patients with COVID-19 filling these beds are unvaccinated,” Sidelinger said. “I cannot be more direct, this is a crisis that is largely being driven by people who have not yet been vaccinated for COVID-19.”

Analysis from Oregon Health Science University predicted cases would peak on Sept. 6 before easing back down. In the meantime, hundreds of National Guardsmen are stationed at 20 Oregon hospitals to assist during the surge.