Fort Bragg man arrested with over 1,300 pounds of illegal marijuana, $253K cash in van – KRCR
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by Timea Horvath
SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. — A Fort Bragg man was arrested after being found transporting 1,363 pounds of illegally cultivated marijuana flower from the Mount Shasta Vista area.
According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), Shel Saunders, 55, was driving a sprinter van which contained 74 bags of marijuana and $253,870 in U.S. currency when he was pulled over for a traffic violation. A probable cause led the deputies to search the van and they couldn't find any paperwork or licensure that would indicate that the marijuana was legally grown or certified for sale on the legal market.
Moreover, SCSO said that the large amount of U.S. currency was believed to be connected to the sales of the illicit product. They also found a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in the engine compartment.
As a result, Saunders was arrested and booked in the Siskiyou County jail.
SCSO noted that marijuana grown illegally in Siskiyou County is not held to the same quality and safety standards as marijuana products that comply with California regulations. They say illegal marijuana is often grown using toxic, banned pesticides that remain on the product after it is harvested and processed.
To find out whether or not you are consuming legally-sourced marijuana products, visit the DCC Product Safety Portal.
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