On August 17, 2022, the Basin Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (BINET) and the Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement team, assisted by the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office and the Klamath Falls Police Department, served a search warrant on a large-scale illegal marijuana growing operation at Ferguson Mountain Rd. and Tionarack Circle, near Beatty. After the operation was concluded, a total of 6,916 illegal marijuana plants were seized and destroyed. A percentage of the illegal plants had already been harvested and were in various stages of being processed. Also located and seized were two semi-automatic rifles, neither of which had serial numbers. Both firearms were loaded with high-capacity magazines and found near multiple, loaded magazines. The illegal operation involved approximately forty greenhouses and the use of an estimated one million gallons of water, which was pumped from an illegal well on-site during the summer growing season. Personnel from the Klamath County Water Masters and Klamath County Waste Management also responded to the property after it was secure, to assist with the investigation. The case is ongoing. No further information is available at this time.
