Benicia Police Shut Down Marijuana Grow Operation

In a release sent late Saturday, reported shutting down a marijuana grow operation at a warehouse in the 200 block of West Channel Road in the Benicia Industrial Park. 

Benicia Police Officer James Laughter, who recently returned to patrol after a three-year-stint with the Solano County Narcotics Enforcement Team, investigated a report of the smell of marijuana. Based on his preliminary investigation, Officer Laughter obtained a search warrant for the business.

Benicia Police officers served the search warrant at approximately 4 p.m. and discovered over 200 marijuana plants in various stages of maturity growing inside the business.  

The value of the marijuana is still being determined.

At approximately 9 p.m., Officer Jeff Harris saw Amandip Gellon, a 31-year-old San Pablo man, leaving the warehouse.  

Gellon was arrested without incident and transported to the Solano County Jail in Fairfield.

He was booked on suspicion of cultivating marijuana and interfering with an electric utility line. The electrical lines for the business were tampered with and it appeared to police that the theft of electrical utilities was occurring at the business. Police are still investigating that aspect of the case.

"The specialized experience and training of our officers is evident in serious cases like this," said Benicia Police Lt. Mike Daley. "Once again, someone from outside our community is trying to conceal criminal activity. In this case, the danger to our local businesses was increased as these types of marijuana grows many times can result in dangerous fires, possibly threatening nearby businesses that house hazardous chemicals."