BEND, OR -- Detectives busted a major illegal marijuana operation just outside Bend, following an 18-month investigation. The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team says the case began with complaints from neighbors at one grow site on Nelson Road. They later discovered a second grow in Tumalo.

Detectives say most of the people working the sites were trafficked from Mexico and promised $20 a day. They were found living in squalor, using primative outdoor toilets and kitchens.

Four people were arrested Wednesday, including 62-year-old Darin Niemeyer, of Bend, who owns the Tumalo property on Half Mile Lane. Jose Cuevas-Garcia was also arrested after the K9 "Kim" found him hiding in a closet. Kim was injured during the apprehension but is resting comfortably and recovering. The suspect was later evaluated at the hospital before booking. Detectives are still looking for 31-year-old Luis Vaca-Rodriguez as a person of interest. He's associated with addresses in Pasco, WA and Cincinnati, OH. 

They also found the Nelson Road operation diverted irrigation canal water to maintain a complex watering system. Overall, Deschutes County’s Illicit Marijuana Enforcement Team seized 6,868 plants with a street value of $3.5 million.