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Person collecting welfare buys $1.1 million home; operates illegal weed operation, according to Santa Cruz Co. investigators The person bought the home in 2016 but claimed no income or assets. Investigators found over a hundred pounds of cannabis packaged for sale and over a hundred cannabis plants inside the home. Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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POLICE DISCOVERED A LARGE UNPERMITED INDOOR CANNABIS CULTIVATION OPERATION INSIDE A SCOTTS VALLEY HOME.. They found....AT LEAST A HUNDRED POUNDS OF WEED... OVER A HUNDRED CANNABIS PLANTS.. AND MORE THAN 150-THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CASH. ALTHOUGH -- THAT'S THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY LOOKING FOR. ACTION NEWS REPORTER CHRISTOPHER SALAS IS HERE NOW ON HOW THIS INVESTIGATION STARTED. ORIGINALLY... THE COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WAS LOOKING INTO WELFARE FRAUD. NOW THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ARRESTED.. AS POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE. HOW COULD SOMEONE UNEMPLOYED AND ON WELFARE AFFORD TO PURCHASE A 1.1 MILLION DOLLAR HOME IN SCOTTS VALLEY.. IT'S A QUESTION THAT LED AUTHORITIES TO THIS HOME ON RANCH STATION ROAD WEDNESDAY MORNING. WHO ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE NEIGHBORS SAY WAS THE SIGHT OF A DRUG BUST. THE HOME WAS BOUGHT IN NOVEMBER OF 2016... ACCORDING TO SANTA CRUZ COUNTY... THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT THE HOME CLAIMED NO INCOME OR ASSETS.. AND HAS BEEN RECEIVING WELFARE BENEFITS FOR A DECADE IN BOTH SANTA CLARA AND SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES.. THAT INFORMATION PROMPTED THE COUNTY'S HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO START INVESTIGATING... THEY DISCOVERED THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT THE HOME WAS ILLEGALLY SELLING WEED ONLINE.. WHEN THEY SERVED A SEARCH WARRANT.. IT CONFIRMED THEIR SUSPICIONS.. POLICE FOUND 115 CANNABIS PLANTS, 90 POUNDS OF PROCESSED CANNABIS PACKAGED FOR RESALE, $155,038 IN CASH, 1100 VAPE PEN CARTRIDGES CONTAINING CANNABIS CONCENTRATE, A WORK AREA FOR FILLING VAPE PENS AND OVER 10 POUNDS OF HIGH- CONCENTRATE CANNABIS RESIN. SANTA CRUZ COUNTY PIO JASON HOPPIN SAID AT THIS TIME... THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE.. BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T YET ARRESTED HIM.. ALL THEY'VE RELEASED IS THAT HIS HOME IS BEHIND THIS GATE ON STATION RANCH ROAD.. WE SPOKE WITH A NEIGHBOR WHO WANTED TO STAY ANONYMOUS FOR SAFETY.. HE SAYS HE'S NOW WORRIED THIS STORY MAY DRAW UNSAFE ATTENTION. 01:58 "My main concern is the welfare of my family. 02:05 "When you say hey this is the road it's on, and if somebody were interested in going in taking drugs and taking money and victimizing them. 02:40 It's got me a little uneasy with that element especially since I have kids here." THE CASE HAS BEEN SENT TO THE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR PROSECUTION. THE COUNTY SAYS THEY'RE STILL INVESTIGATING HOW MUCH HAS BEEN DEFRAUDED FROM WELFARE PROGRAMS.### NEW AT 11... AUTHORITIES SAY