The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office says it executed a search warrant Tuesday at a suspected illegal marijuana growing facility inside a residence on the Middle Road in Fairfield. Among the items found were these packages, which Sheriff Dale Lancaster said he believes are chemicals or fertilizers used for growing cannabis. Lancaster says investigators are still working to translate the labels, which appear to be written in Chinese characters. Photo courtesy of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office

FAIRFIELD — The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office has continued its crackdown on suspected illegal marijuana grows, as it executed a search warrant Tuesday at a residence on the Middle Road in Fairfield.

During the search of the home around 9:30 a.m., which was being used almost entirely for marijuana plant cultivation and processing, investigators seized more than 80 pounds of processed marijuana, more than 700 marijuana plants, illegal drug-related documentation, and other drug-related items, Sheriff Dale Lancaster said in a statement issued Tuesday.

“The conditions inside of the residence and inside of the cultivation areas were very hazardous, due to the chemicals being used, the ‘not to code’ electrical wiring and plumbing and the overall poor/unsanitary conditions inside of the residence,” Lancaster’s statement said.

Fairfield’s code enforcement officer was notified, the sheriff said.

Nobody was at the residence at the time, Lancaster said. Those believed to be connected with the growing operation would face criminal charges, if located.

The Sheriff’s Office investigated the property with the assistance of the Waterville Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Fairfield Police Department and the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, according to Lancaster.

In 2024, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office said it executed 22 search warrants at suspected illegal grows amid a wave of other similar law enforcement activity across Maine.

Most of the Somerset County busts were in the first half of the year. After executing a search warrant in December at a Cornville property, following an apparent monthslong pause, Lancaster said his office was still actively investigating the illegal grows even if there were not as many search warrants being executed.

Harvested marijuana is shown in this photo, taken during the execution of a search warrant Tuesday at a suspected illegal marijuana growing facility inside a residence on the Middle Road in Fairfield. The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office says it seized more than 80 pounds of processed marijuana, and more than 700 marijuana plants and other related items. Photo courtesy of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office

In 2024 in Somerset County, officials have seized about 28,000 marijuana plants, about 250 pounds of processed marijuana, about $50,000 in cash and five motor vehicles believed to have been used in the illegal marijuana growing operations, according to Lancaster.

The investigations have also led to arrests of and charges brought against 13 people in Somerset County, according to the Sheriff’s Office and court records. Most of those cases are still pending in court.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine said in May that federal authorities believe the illegal growing operations could be connected to organized, transnational crime organizations. Lancaster said in June he believed the operations fund the production of fentanyl in China.

The investigations have also put officials at odds over a possible element of human trafficking, and raised issues about public health due to the presence of black mold found at some residences.

Federal prosecutors, meanwhile, have been successful in taking three homes in Cornville, Corinna and Sangerville, which they believe were housing illegal growing operations, though civil forfeiture. There were three similar forfeiture cases pending in U.S. District Court as of Tuesday, according to court records.

Some of the homes used as illegal growing sites are heading to the real estate market. Others are becoming legal, medical cannabis growing facilities, a Morning Sentinel investigation found.

At least one man has started a business helping illegal grows shift into the medical market.