It has been a busy week so far for deputies from the Morongo Basin Sheriff Station, as they served 12 search warrants Monday (May 17) and Tuesday (May 18) at illegal outdoor marijuana cultivation sites in the unincorporated county areas of Morongo Valley, Landers, and the Desert Heights area of Twentynine Palms. Reporter Cassidy Taylor has the details…
In the operation, deputies and detectives eradicated over 5,300 marijuana plants, totaling over five and a half tons of plants by weight. Investigators also found an illegal electrical bypass and seized approximately 38 pounds of processed marijuana packaged for sales. Two suspects, Chong Thao, 31, of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Cho Yang, 31, of Fresno were arrested at a location near El Bandido/ Brant Crossing Road for illegal marijuana cultivation and sales.
Future eradication operations are being planned as cultivation sites are identified and investigated. Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Deputy Jose Ortiz with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station at (760)366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME.
Locations of Illegal Cultivation Sites:
#1 – 9400 Block Desert Willow Trail, Morongo Valley
#2 – Bowman Trail/ Herdmans Road, Landers
#3 – Bowman Trail/ Herdmans Road, Landers
#4 – Sunny Sands Drive/ Burke Road, Landers
#5 – Bowman Trail/ Sespe Street, Landers
#6 – Sunny Vista Road/ Summers Road, Landers
#7 – Summers Road/ Sunny Vista Road, Landers
#8 – 70100 Block of Brant Crossing Road, Twentynine Palms
#9 – Bermuda Avenue, Blue Grass Avenue, Twentynine Palms
#10 – Montezuma Drive/ El Bandido, Twentynine Palms
#11 – El Bandido/ Brant Crossing Road, Twentynine Palms
#12 – Summers Road/ Sunny Vista Road, Landers
