Homeless people in California found living in underground caves, furnished with bedding, filled with drugs and trash

Furniture and other supplies were also found, before police and volunteers cleared the place over the weekend

Many homeless people were found living in riverside caves, dangerously constructed and filled with trash. Furniture and other supplies were also found, before police and volunteers cleared the place over the weekend.

Many homeless people were found living inriverside caves, dangerously constructed and filled with trash (Modesto Police Department/Facebook)

The 20-foot-deep underground caves were made along the Tuolumne River in Modesto. One could access them using makeshift stairs carved into the hillside.

“Over the weekend, the Modesto Police Department collaborated with 9.2.99, a local community volunteer group, to conduct a joint clean-up operation in the vicinity of the Tuloumne River, specifically in the Crater Avenue and Dallas Street area,”Modesto Police Department said in a Facebook post. “This particular area has been plagued by vagrancy and illegal camps, which have raised concerns due to the fact that these camps were actually caves dug into the riverbanks.”

“To address this issue, members of MPD's HEART Team, along with Park Rangers, CHAT, and Abatement personnel, notified the individuals residing in these caves and homeless camps about the upcoming clean-up operation scheduled for the following week. Moreover, we offered them various services to assist them during this transition,” it said, adding that 7,600 lbs of trash, two truckloads and a trailer of garbage were cleared.

“We are grateful for the invaluable community partnerships we have, and we extend a special appreciation to the 9.2.99 Organization for their exceptional dedication and hard work in making this clean-up operation a success,” it added.

Things found in the cave includeda table, crates filled with supplies and even some shelves with food and condiments. “We had a hard time figuring out how they got so much stuff down in there, considering how hard it was to get it up the hill and out,” Chris Guptill, a volunteer with the group Operation 9-2-99, told CBS 13.

Tracy Rojas, who lives near the subterranean encampment, said that some of the caves were fully furnished with bedding, and even had drugs and other contraband. “You can see the hooks on the wall where they had bottles and stuff hanging down,” Rojas said. “I think there needs to be more emphasis on the homeless. They are at the point where you can see they are desperate.”