Thermal, California – A massive federal operation targeting illegal marijuana grow sites unfolded Thursday in the rural community of Thermal, Riverside County, leading to alarm and mass confusion across the East Coachella Valley. Led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the large-scale raid involved 500 personnel from multiple federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the National Guard.
The operation, which occurred near Highway 86, focused on marijuana farms spanning approximately 787 acres on land reportedly belonging to the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. Federal officials emphasized the mission was part of a broad drug enforcement effort and not related to immigration enforcement, despite the heavy presence of military-style vehicles and armed agents that caused panic among local farmworkers and residents.
According to the DEA, the raid was conducted under federal search warrants authorized by a magistrate judge, with the task force called in to address the operation’s extensive size and challenging terrain. Investigators discovered multiple illegal marijuana cultivation sites and detained between 70 and 75 undocumented immigrants. At least one U.S. citizen was arrested on charges related to impeding law enforcement. Several others are being questioned regarding their involvement in the illegal grow operations…