Deputies Bust Massive Mendocino County Hash Oil Production Facility
POTTER VALLEY (CBS SF) -- Two men have been arrested after deputies busted a massive hash oil production facility built throughout a Mendocino County home and seized more than 48 pounds of the illegal substance with a street value of more than $768,000.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office said its deputies were aided in the raid by officers from the County of Mendocino Marijuana Eradication Team (COMMET) and Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force.
Joseph Scorese, a 30-year-old from Lakeport, and 36-year-old Joseh Loren of Willits have been arrested and booked into the Mendocino County jail on felony violations of manufacturing a controlled substance using a chemical process and misdemeanor violations of possessing marijuana for sale.
The officers served a search warrant in the 6600 block of Highway 20 in Potter Valley on Tuesday. Once inside the home, detectives discovered the entire residence had been modified into an industrial Butane Hash Oil extraction laboratory capable of producing commercial high volume concentrated cannabis.
The suspects were in possession of a sophisticated and explosive closed loop butane/propane chemical extraction system which occupied several rooms in the home.
Included were five large cylinders totaling hundreds of pounds of the explosive chemicals in the living room used for the continuous hash oil production.
Authorities said detectives located and seized a total of 48.3 pounds of hash oil with a street value of over $768,000; 1150 pounds of marijuana used in the extraction process and extensive; detailed pay and owe ledgers indicating the suspects recently sold over $100,000 of the illicit substance.
Investigators said the laboratory equipment seized has an estimated value of over $250,000.
In addition to the BHO lab, detectives located and dismantled a marijuana Alcohol extraction lab and seized $5,700 in cash and a 2017 Jeep Rubicon.
