Recreational use of marijuana in California has been legal since 2016. Nevertheless, there are strict regulations in place that govern its cultivation. Authorities in West Point, California, exercised a search warrant last week at a residence where a search of an adjacent shop building on the property revealed that it apparently served as a grow house for the illicit cultivation of marijuana.
The discovery led to the reported confiscation of over 1,400 cannabis plants, amounting to 440 pounds of marijuana, as well as the arrest of a 36-year-old man. He faces drug charges including illegal marijuana cultivation. His bail amount is $100,000. As of last week, he remained incarcerated in Calaveras County Jail.
It is not known whether alleged drug activity represented the grounds on which authorities obtained the search warrant. However, it is clear from the county’s code compliance office that the building had had dangerous electrical modifications made to it. Presumably, the purpose of these modifications was to aid in the cultivation of the marijuana plants. Nevertheless, according to authorities, the modifications made the building unsafe to occupy.
From the viewpoint of the federal government, marijuana use remains illegal. Therefore, the various laws that apply in certain jurisdictions can be difficult to understand. It is unclear whether the man arrested following the search and seizure of the multiple marijuana plants has engaged the services of a defense attorney. However, it may be a good idea for those facing charges related to the cultivation of marijuana, as well as drug manufacturing, trafficking or possession, to seek the advice and counsel of a legal professional.