POT SEIZED IN SEQUOIA

The Sequoia National Forest was this week the site of another massive
marijuana seizure.

Law enforcement officials in Tulare County eradicated 4,316 marijuana
plants from the forest Tuesday.

This makes the second recent marijuana plantation raid in the forest.

Earlier this month, officials eradicated 12,145 plants - the most marijuana
ever seized in forest service areas in Kern County.

This week, Tulare County Sheriff's Department officials received a tip
after hunters happened across the groves.

According to Margie Clack, information officer for the Greenhorn Ranger
District, the hunters were called out for assistance when a bear was
spotted north of Johnsondale and west of what turned out to be the
marijuana groves.

After further investigation, Clack said, the Tulare County Sheriff's
Department, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Campaign Against
Marijuana Planting (CAMP) team acted and seized one garden with nine plots
and another garden with more than 10 plots.

The plants were being cultivated in the groves of the Giant Sequoia Redwood
trees, recently declared the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

CAMP used its Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter to lower SWAT members into the
gardens where the trees were too thick to allow the helicopter to land,
according to Clack.

Kern County sheriff's Sgt. Marsh Carter said the marijuana plants ranged
from 3 to 6 feet in height.

Carter said the department actively participates in searches each year to
find and destroy the plants.

"This year we're going out hitting walking trails," he said. "We're trying
to get these plants before they get 7 to 10 feet tall."

The evidence from Tuesday's raid was taken to a county facility, burned
inside a hole in the ground and then buried, Carter said.

Officials said the seized marijuana had a street value of $17.3 million.

Carter said the investigation is still under way and that no suspects have
been arrested.

"We do have evidence we're sending to a crime lab, and hopefully we'll be
able to detain a suspect," he said.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Department asks for individuals with
information pertaining to the incident to call Sgt. Marsh Carter at (559)
733-6218.