"These are very dangerous locations to be at, especially at this time of year with the harvest going on. It is particularly troublesome that they're so close to schools," Lt. Rick Ko with Fresno County Sheriff's Office said.
The grow was located on Behymer and Willow less than a mile away from Willow International and the Clovis North educational complex.
Lt. Rick Ko says marijuana grows bring criminal activity to the area, making it a dangerous combination.
"A year ago, we had a 16-year-old murdered in a marijuana grow site and you have young people who come by to try and take it and you have growers that are armed, trying to protect it," Lt. Rick Ko said.
Lt. Rick Ko says deputies were led to the site after a report of shots fired on the property. The day of the bust, growers told law enforcement they had been robbed.
Law enforcement seized everything from mature plants to processed marijuana. A nearby resident who did not want to be identified says she says was pleasantly surprised to see the bust.
"I like it, I love it. How about they just bulldoze down the place? Because I'm just not into this," the resident said.
Authorities say the marijuana was grown on leased land and that out of the ten people on site, seven were from out of state. Several people were detained. The Fresno County Sheriff's Office says it will be up to the U.S. Attorney's Office, if they will face any charges.
More than 8,000 plants and 30 pounds of processed marijuana were seized Friday. The sheriff's office says it has identified about 450 marijuana grows in the county and is working to eradicate those sites.
