Huge Raid Takes Down Huge Illegal Grant County Pot Operation

According to the Grant County Sheriff's Office, a large organized pot growing and production operation in Grant County has been shut down.

   40 law enforcement agents raided the facility

The raid happened Thursday, Monday information was released by the GCSO, who said in part:

 "About 40 law enforcement officers raided the two connected sites on rural property near Road C-NE and Road 11-NE south of Ephrata. After chasing down four of the five employees who ran from one site and detaining two employees at the other site, investigators gathered evidence from the two grow operations. Both sites had irrigation, storage of agricultural chemicals, and workers who lived on the property. One site alone had a covered growing area about the size of a football field."

Detectives and investigators say this was part of a much larger drug enterprise. After raiding the Ephrata location, Officers then went to Yakima and arrested the person overseeing the operation, 38-year-old Francisco Solorio Valencia of Yakima. During the Yakima raid, Officers seized more than 400 pounds of packaged marijuana, ready for sale, and also confiscated a Glock handgun.

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The GCSO says this raid was the result of a year-long investigation. They said last year, two people were shot at one of the Ephrata grow sites, and the area was known to have criminal activity. Authorities also say with such illegal drug operations, often dangerous chemicals are disposed of in an unsafe manner, and they can wind up in water systems and other areas where they cause issues.