Vroman was also one of the CCW instructors. He out fitted his investigators with silenced MP-5's. I saw him regularly at my work. He and the owner would often go to lunch. I spoke with him many times and handled the sale of his personal vehicle paid for by the county. New Ford 500-"loaded."
This just in:
BREAKING NEWS: Grows with Santa Clara County connections busted
By ZACK CINEK The Daily Journal
Updated: 05/21/2009 12:42:21 PM PDT
Mendocino county police worked to remove marijuana plants from several grows busted in the Ukiah area Thursday.
One grow located in a wooded subdivision just north of Talmage was busted around 7:30 a.m. and another smaller grow on Guidiville road east of Talmage was raided around 9 a.m., police from the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force said.
At the first grow, 888 Watson Road, police loaded marijuana plants cut from growing pots into the back of a pickup truck.
"I think they just come here, water, and leave," Bob Nishiyama, task force commander said. One member of the task force estimated that there were about 500 to 600 plants through out the home and down below in a makeshift basement.
Based on conditions inside the home, Nishiyama said that the people were probably there for short amounts of time. "I think they spent time here when working and setting up."
A garage on the property housed nine grow lights and three household fans mounted around the walls. Nishiyama said that his crew was likely to be there all day.
In the basement, cloned marijuana plants taken from "mother" plants grew in large white plastic trays. The space under the house was illuminated by a grow light becoming increasingly brighter as it was turned on.
No one was at the grow when police arrived, but one involved with the grow was in custody in Santa Clara County. Those involved with the grow are believed to be Vietnamese, he said.
One measure taken by the growers was to bypass
the home's electrical meter by tapping into the power line, allowing the meter to read 750 watts; a below-average amount of electricity for a house.
On a property at 3010 Guidiville Rancheria Road, two were in custody as police readied to take down the grow. A small home and some vineyard grapes were planted on the hillside behind the home.
A bypass of an electrical meter was also done at that location and PG&E was coming to repair it.
In a metal building with plywood interior walls a neat and orderly office space and computer was in one corner. In a back room soft chant-like music played.
Early estimates from police placed the number of plants at about 200.
At the Watson Road home Nishiyama said that several cars would be seized as assets.
A soft-air style rifle in the form of a machine gun, made to shoot rubber bullets, appeared to be used as a decoy. Made of metal and plastic, the guns are actually heavier than the real thing, Nishiyama said.
Zack Cinek can be reached at
udjzc@pacific.net or 468-3521.