Search Warrants Yield 300 Marijuana Plants, 5 Arrests, $24K

Newport Beach detectives have arrested five people and seized nearly $200,000 worth of marijuana following a month-long investigation, a police official reported today.

Search warrants were conducted at a handful of locations last week in Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel, Lake Forest and Huntington Beach. Police spokeswoman Kathy Lowe said detectives confiscated $24,000 in cash, more than 300 marijuana plants and 37 pounds of high-grade marijuana with a street value of about $200,000.

"Anytime you take a large amount of marijuana off the streets, it's important to the community," Lowe said.

All of the arrests were related to each other. According to Lowe, evidence found at the residence in Lake Forest led Newport Beach detectives to a commercial building in Huntington Beach where detectives discovered "an elaborate marijuana growing operation."

• Anthony Mave, 46, of San Clemente was arrested Friday in the area of  Newport Boulevard and 16th Street. Police say Mave was in possession of 24 pounds of marijuana.

• Christopher Go, 24, of Laguna Niguel was arrested Friday at a home in Laguna Niguel where detectives found an indoor marijuana growing operation. Detectives seized about 300 marijuana plants and cash from the residence. Go was arrested for possession of marijuana for sale and illegal cultivation of marijuana.

• Christy McAllister, 61, of Laguna Niguel was arrested Friday at a residence in Lake Forest. McAllister was arrested for the transportation/sale of marijuana. According to Lowe, McAllister is charged with selling marijuana to undercover Newport Beach detectives.

• Daniel J. Wooten, 36, and Trayci M. Tursack, 34, both of Huntington Beach, were arrested Friday at the Huntington Beach location. Wooten and Tursack were charged with possession of marijuana for sale. Both were released Saturday on their own recognizance, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department's online inmate information.