Members of the San Joaquin County Metro Narcotics Task Force served search warrants at two rural Escalon locations on Wednesday, May 9 confiscating several hundred marijuana plants and several thousand dollars in cash.

According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the search warrants were served in the 27000 block of Tiffani Lane, between Steinegul and Campbell roads, north of Lone Tree; and in the 17000 block of Victory Avenue.

Investigators seized a total of 454 plants and $3000 between the two locations.

Arrested were Francisco Arriola Contrerras, 57, of Modesto and Noe Pena Vizcarra, 19, of Modesto. They were charged with cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sales.

Investigators said it appeared the men were living in a trailer on the Tiffani Lane property, where the marijuana grow was discovered in an almond orchard. The grow covered an estimated two acres of the 10-acre orchard, said officials. The Victory Avenue grow was also in an orchard and there was a trailer on that property as well, but no one was inside when task force members served the warrant.

Both Contrerras and Vizcarra were taken to San Joaquin County Jail and booked.

Neighbors in the area had reportedly been notified of the grow through a flier distributed anonymously and sheriff’s officials said they had recently received numerous calls about the possibility of the marijuana operation being in full swing.

Officials did not say how wide the distribution of marijuana from the operation may have been but the investigation is continuing.