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Possible human trafficking investigated at marijuana farm near Salinas

The cargo container
The cargo container
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Possible human trafficking investigated at marijuana farm near Salinas
A legally-permitted marijuana farm south of Salinas is being investigated for possible human trafficking after investigators found 10 foreign nationals who had come from east Asian countries.Sources told KSBW that men and women from Laos and Mongolia were found living inside a cargo container on a rural property along Alisal Road.A lot of mystery shrouded the farm as of Wednesday afternoon as Monterey County sheriff's detectives and district attorney investigators tried to figure out if the marijuana grow workers were being held against their will and trafficked from overseas."We have a language barrier," Sheriff's Cmdr. John Thornburg said.Some of the questions detectives are trying to ask are, "How did you get here? Are you here against your will?"Monterey County Resource Management Agency authorities first went to the grow site because its permit was up for renewal."They did an inspection and found something that concerned them," Thornburg said.When deputies arrived at the property, some of the workers fled on foot.When asked if any of the men or women were locked up or chained when they were found, Thornburg said, "No idea.""We're very, very early in the investigation," Thornburg said. There are several sprawling greenhouses and agricultural fields in the area. The incident appears to be part of a larger international human trafficking ring, deputies said, and the Department of Homeland Security is joining the investigation.

A legally-permitted marijuana farm south of Salinas is being investigated for possible human trafficking after investigators found 10 foreign nationals who had come from east Asian countries.

Sources told KSBW that men and women from Laos and Mongolia were found living inside a cargo container on a rural property along Alisal Road.

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A lot of mystery shrouded the farm as of Wednesday afternoon as Monterey County sheriff's detectives and district attorney investigators tried to figure out if the marijuana grow workers were being held against their will and trafficked from overseas.

"We have a language barrier," Sheriff's Cmdr. John Thornburg said.

Some of the questions detectives are trying to ask are, "How did you get here? Are you here against your will?"

Monterey County Resource Management Agency authorities first went to the grow site because its permit was up for renewal.

"They did an inspection and found something that concerned them," Thornburg said.

When deputies arrived at the property, some of the workers fled on foot.

When asked if any of the men or women were locked up or chained when they were found, Thornburg said, "No idea."

"We're very, very early in the investigation," Thornburg said.

There are several sprawling greenhouses and agricultural fields in the area.

The incident appears to be part of a larger international human trafficking ring, deputies said, and the Department of Homeland Security is joining the investigation.