April 8, 2022 1:50 p.m.
Detectives from the Douglas Interagency Narcotics Team seized a large quantity of marijuana from a growing operation in three warehouse buildings adjacent to Glendale High School, on Thursday.
DINT Commander Lieutenant Rick McArthur said there had been ongoing suspicious activity at the location in the 300 block of Hayward Avenue. That included a high volume of workers coming and going, and materials and personnel trucked in and out during late night hours. McArthur said the buildings had been modified with air filtration systems, water lines running inside the building, all the windows boarded up and the overwhelming odor of marijuana coming from inside, among other things.
DINT’s release said detectives attempted to contact the occupants of one building by knocking on the doors, but an unknown person locked the doors and hid inside, ignoring all attempts to communicate. McArthur said detectives surrounded the location and applied for a search warrant. After obtaining it, the search warrant was executed at approximately 7:00 p.m. Upon entering, detectives found 29-year old Eduardo Hernandez-Reyes of Medford who was hiding.
Inside the buildings, detectives found a substantial and sophisticated illegal marijuana growing operation. McArthur said there were marijuana plants in multiple stages of growth from starter plants, all the way to mature plants ready to harvest. There was also a substantial quantity of processed marijuana ready for sale. McArthur said the warehouses contained an elaborate unpermitted and dangerous electrical system. It has been reported that there have been at least two electrical fires at the location in recent months. McArthur said that was likely due to a poorly constructed and overburdened electrical system. Detectives could see burn marks on the outside of one of the buildings where a previous fire had occurred.
The release said the indoor grow areas contained a huge volume of sophisticated and expensive lighting equipment, as well as watering systems and air filtration systems. Hundreds of fans, timers, and monitoring equipment, all requiring vast quantities of electricity, were located. There was also a large volume of fertilizers and pesticides.
McArthur said detectives seized approximately 4,100 pounds of processed marijuana ready for sale, and 18,461 live marijuana plants in various stages of growth. The school and kids are clearly visible from the property.
Hernandez-Reyes was charged with unlawful possession and manufacture of marijuana and for unlawful manufacture of the drug within 1,000 feet of a school. He was released from custody on Friday.
