EPHRATA — The Grant County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that it had shut down two large illegal marijuana growing operations Thursday. 

“Detectives say the sites were part of a large and organized illegal drug enterprise,” The announcement read.  

After raiding two sites on rural property near Roads C-NE and 11-NE south of Ephrata and chasing down a handful of employees who ran from one site and detaining two at another side, investigators gathered evidence for the case. Both sites had irrigation, storage of agricultural chemicals and workers living on the property. One site had a covered growing area roughly the size of a football field, the statement said.  

According to the announcement, chemicals and waste from grow sites that are disposed of illegally can end up in city sewers or dumped along roadways. 

After searching the two sites, investigators went to Yakima and arrested Solorio Valencia, 38, of Yakima for suspicion of leading organized crime and manufacturing marijuana.  Valencia was initially lodged at the Grant County Jail but was no longer on the inmate roster as of Monday.  

Investigators seized more than 400 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale with a value of about $400,000. Detectives also seized a Glock handgun.  

GCSO was the lead agency in this sting operation. Other agencies involved included the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team — also known as INET — the Washington State Patrol's Cannabis Eradication Response team, Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team, Moses Lake Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Washington Department of Ecology, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Fire District 5 and LifeLine Ambulance.  

“The importance of this year-long investigation cannot be overstated. Illegal drug operations are dangerous and violent organizations. Last year, two people were shot at one of the two Ephrata grow sites that were raided on Thursday,” the GCSO statement said.