Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered approximately 2,100 cannabis plants inside a commercial warehouse on Sprowel Creek Road south of Garberville on Monday.

The operation had no state or county cultivation license. No arrests have been made.

What they found

Deputies served a search warrant at the property around 7 a.m. The warehouse, a metal-frame building approximately 12,000 square feet, contained six separate grow rooms running high-intensity LED lighting and sealed HVAC systems. Plants ranged from early vegetative stage to mid-flower.

HCSO spokesperson Sarah Chen said the operation was “sophisticated and well-funded.” Power was supplied through a combination of PG&E service and two commercial diesel generators on site.

Investigators from the Department of Cannabis Control assisted in the search. The DCC confirmed the property holds no active cultivation, manufacturing, or distribution license.

The estimated wholesale value of the plants was not released. At current indoor market rates, 2,100 plants in various stages could yield between 400 and 600 pounds of processed flower.

The property

County records show the Sprowel Creek Road parcel is zoned for commercial use. The warehouse was built in 2018 and has been under the same ownership since construction. The property owner’s name has not been released.

HCSO obtained the warrant based on an investigation that began in November 2025. Chen declined to describe what initiated the investigation.

PG&E records were part of the warrant application. Electrical usage at the property had been consistent with large-scale indoor cultivation for at least eight months, according to the affidavit.

No arrests

Chen said the investigation is ongoing. She would not say whether suspects have been identified.

“We know who leased the building,” Chen said. “That’s about all I can say right now.”

The DCC’s enforcement division has opened a parallel investigation. State law allows the DCC to pursue civil penalties against property owners who knowingly allow unlicensed cannabis activity.

The Humboldt County District Attorney’s office has been briefed on the case. No charges have been filed.

Context

Unlicensed indoor grows in commercial buildings have become more common in Humboldt County over the past two years as outdoor wholesale prices have dropped. Indoor operations can produce higher-value product year-round but carry significantly higher overhead and, without a license, felony exposure under state law.

HCSO conducted 14 unlicensed grow investigations in 2025, resulting in the seizure of approximately 8,400 plants total. Three of those cases have resulted in criminal charges. The rest remain under investigation or were referred to the DCC for civil enforcement.

The Garberville warehouse is the first major seizure of 2026.

Anyone with information about unlicensed cannabis operations in Humboldt County can contact the HCSO tip line at (707) 267-9300.