RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — A massive law enforcement operation unfolded this week in Southern California, where hundreds of DEA agents, National Guard troops, and local police joined forces to raid three large-scale illegal marijuana grow operations on federal land — one of which spanned more than 250 acres.
NewsNation cameras were the only ones on the ground during the unprecedented crackdown, which law enforcement officials described as the region’s largest coordinated raid in recent history.
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According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the targeted grow sites were operating illegally despite California’s legalization of marijuana, because they were established on federal land without authorization.
“These are not regulated grows,” said DEA Agent Anthony Chrysanthis. “Crime follows crime. In order to keep these operations running, they often rely on undocumented workers, many of whom are trafficked into the U.S. for labor.”
Chrysanthis added that officials on the scene were prepared to interview and support any victims of trafficking, with federal agents ready to investigate how individuals were brought in and exploited by criminal networks.
The scope of the operation was staggering:
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Over 500 officers and agents took part
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325 California National Guard soldiers were deployed
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Roughly 100 armored vehicles were used
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Agents from nearly every major federal agency participated
Multiple arrests were made, though exact figures have not yet been released.
Illegal grows like these are often linked to organized crime and pose significant environmental hazards, including water theft, pesticide pollution, and damage to protected ecosystems.
Officials say this operation is part of a broader effort to crack down on illicit cannabis production, especially where it overlaps with human trafficking and environmental crimes.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities anticipate more arrests and follow-up operations in the coming weeks.
