$5 Million Worth Of Marijuana Found Near Lake Elsinore: RCSD

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Approximately $5 million worth of marijuana plants were found by sheriff's deputies Thursday at a residence in unincorporated area near Lake Elsinore, but no arrests have been announced.

The cannabis was discovered during a morning search warrant service in the 20000 block of 11th Street, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. The property had been converted into an illegal outdoor/indoor marijuana cultivation site, with approximately 5,000 cannabis plants on scene, the department said.

"Based on the total weight of the marijuana plants located on the property, the approximate street value is about $5 million dollars," the sheriff's department said.

Two unregistered firearms were also found at the location, according to the department.

County Code enforcement issued a cease and desist letter due to non-permitted construction and illegal cannabis cultivation, the department reported.

No one was at the site during the raid.

The sheriff's department's investigation is ongoing.

The bust follows two others that occurred Wednesday evening by sheriff's deputies. The first was in the 53000 block of Ambridge Street in Lake Elsinore, where more than 1,000 marijuana plants were located at a residence. The home's electrical system was illegally altered, but no arrests were announced.

The second raid was in the 53000 block of Memorial Street in Lake Elsinore. The entire home was transformed into a cannabis cultivation site, where approximately 700 marijuana plants were found by deputies. The home's electrical system was illegally altered, making the residence uninhabitable, according to the sheriff's department. Rongzan Wu, 35, of Rosemead was arrested and booked on suspicion of illegal marijuana cultivation.

There is no word whether the cases are connected.