CLEARLAKE, Calif. – With new rules for marijuana cultivation now in place in the city of Clearlake, police said Thursday they have arrested two people for commercial marijuana cultivation.

The city's new cultivation ordinance, which went into effect March 13, specifically prohibits commercial cultivation operations.

Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli said that on Thursday officers arrested Gambio Garcia and Samuel Beltran for violating that new ordinance.

At about 9 a.m. Thursday Clearlake Police officers were alerted to what appeared to be a commercial marijuana growing operation in the 6000 block of Vallejo Avenue, which is in a secluded location with a heavy wooded area surrounding the property, Celli said.

He said officers arrived on scene and could see a large plastic covered area commonly referred to as a “hoop house.” A hoop house is used to grow plants and, in this case, was used to grow marijuana.

The hoop house was inside a large wooden fenced area that was not yet completed that encompassed at least two lot parcels. Celli said officers could see inside the structure and saw a marijuana grow with more than 100 marijuana plants.

In addition, Celli said there were makeshift alarm devices at various locations around the area to alert of intruders. Other areas surrounding the marijuana grow were set up as obvious lookout points.

These observations and other information led the officers to determine that the grow site was for commercial profit. At the time, there were no subjects located on or around the immediate area, Celli said.

Celli said an officer assigned to the Clearlake Police Department Investigation Unit authored a search warrant. While that process was under way, an officer who was maintaining security at the location observed a truck pull up to the property and leave rapidly while backing out of the location unsafely.

It was believed that the subjects left rapidly after seeing the police officer at the location. Due to the secluded location and the individuals' behavior, the officer suspected that the vehicle was involved with the property, Celli said.

The officer made a traffic stop on the vehicle for a vehicle code violation and contacted the occupants, who provided names of Gambio Garcia and Samuel Beltran. Neither man has been positively identified at this time, Celli said.

He said the men were unable to provide proper identification and the driver was unlicensed. Both subsequently were arrested.

There was evidence inside the vehicle that linked the men to the marijuana growing operation and the property. Both men were additionally charged with the cultivation of marijuana and were later booked in the Lake County Jail, Celli said.

A search warrant was signed for the structure and property. As a result of the search of the marijuana grow, Celli said 116 marijuana plants were seized.

Celli said the Clearlake Police Department has no interest in legal medicinal marijuana grows that are in compliance with the city ordinance.

“We do, however, highly recommend any citizen desiring to grow medicinal marijuana follow the permit process or risk code violations and civil penalties through Code Enforcement,” he said.

The Clearlake Police Department is reminding citizens that the new ordinance that is in effect requires individuals to apply for a permit to grow medicinal marijuana in the city of Clearlake.

Information on the permit process can be located at the city of Clearlake Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Additionally, Celli said marijuana ordinance information has been disbursed to local businesses that deal with medicinal marijuana, such as the dispensaries and business involved in hydroponics. This ordinance will be enforced by the Code Enforcement Department.