RED BLUFF — A cannabis bust on June 25 led to the arrest of five people and law enforcement seizing more than 1,700 pounds of processed cannabis.

Officers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife served two search warrants near the west end of Vassar Road off State Route 36W, about 18 miles northwest of Red Bluff, said Information Officer Janice Mackey.

The first warrant yielded 5,041 illegal cannabis plants and 608.7 pounds of processed cannabis. A total of nine Fish and Game Code violations were documented.

The second warrant yielded 20,175 illegal cannabis plants, 1,142 pounds of processed cannabis and four firearms. Multiple Fish and Game Code violations were documented.

Mackey said of the 12 suspects detained during the operation five were arrested.

Tehama County Sheriff Dave Hencratt said Jose Zepeda Machain, of Salinas; Manuel Larios Soto, of Merced; Carolina Guerra Villalobos, of Salinas, and Maria Espinoza Gonzales, of Red Bluff were among those arrested.

Criminal complaints will be filed against the subjects with the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office.

Potential charges are felony cannabis cultivation, possession of cannabis for sales, conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of a firearm while committing a felony, no stream bed alteration agreement, littering state waters, polluting state waters and unlawful take of wildlife, said Mackey.

Tehama County does not allow outdoor commercial cannabis cultivation and neither site had a state commercial cannabis license.

The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office and Anderson Police Department assisted.