Dog helps police seize $1.7M in pot

EAST OAKLAND -- A whiff of weed sniffed by some police officers - - and a specially trained dog -- led to the seizure of about 2,100 marijuana plants with an estimated harvesting value of $1.7 million, authorities said.

The plants were found Wednesday night at a one-time auto body shop at 945 E. 11th St. that had been converted into a marijuana farm, police said.

Besides seizing the plants, police arrested a 31-year-old San Francisco man on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and theft of utilities. His name was not released and police said the marijuana was not being grown for medicinal purposes.

The raid culminated several weeks of investigation by Officer O. Saeparn and other members of Crime Reduction Team 3 that started after officers detected a strong odor of marijuana in the area.

The team included Sarah, a specially trained narcotics-sniffing dog handled by Officer Steve Valle of the Targeted Enforcement Task Force. The dog helped confirm marijuana was in the building, police said.

Officers said the operation was extremely sophisticated, with plants ranging from a few inches to several feet in height. About 1,000 were ready for harvest, police said.

Saeparn said more than 100 high-powered lamps and watering and ventilation systems were being used.

A large amount of mothballs was recovered, and police said the mothballs were used to conceal the plants' strong odor. They said the grower used "pirated" electricity to power the operation.

Based on statements from people in the area, police believe the operation had been going on since late December or early January. No weapons, guard animals or surveillance equipment were found on the premises.

Police said the building, in the San Antonio District, was being passed off as a decorative glass business to hide the farm.

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