California City Police are trying to root out illegal marijuana grows with several raids across town.

Chief Eric Hurtado says they’ve arrested 19 people and seized about 21,000 plants since the operation began after a power outage in December caused a scrubber to malfunction and send pot fumes into the air.

Pot growers can be licensed through the city. However, Huratdo says crooks have been targeting rental home owners by offering large amounts of cash up front. They then cause thousands of dollars in damage at each home by illegally modifying homes, stealing electricity, and ignoring mold growth.

Kelli Pierce