The strong smell of marijuana emanating from a warehouse led San Carlos authorities to an illegal marijuana-growing house and law enforcement officials were able dismantle the operation.

On Friday, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office conducted a routine building inspection of a property in the 900 block of Terminal Way following a number of complaints from neighbors about the odor.

Upon entering the building, deputies said they found John Breisch and Ryan Schofield “in the process of dismantling an indoor marijuana grow operation.” A third person who arrived during the inspection, Alexis Bennight, also was detained. All three were booked into San Mateo County Jail, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Following the arrests, the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force searched a residence in the 1300 block of Elm Street in San Carlos, where Breisch and Bennight live, and found 1,294 marijuana plants, the Sheriff’s Office said. The plants are valued at $905,800.

At the warehouse, there was evidence of sales of the drug and an illegal electrical bypass, making it unlikely the operation was related to medical marijuana, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

akoskey@sfexaminer.com