UTAH POLICE FIND MASSIVE MARIJUANA CROP

LIBERTY, Utah (Reuters) - Law enforcement agents uncovered what might be the
biggest marijuana crop in Utah history after a hiker noticed an armed man in
a grove of plants and alerted police, officials said Thursday.

DEA and Weber County Sheriff officials swarmed over the mountainside eight
miles northeast of Ogden, Utah, Wednesday, where they found thousands of
mature marijuana plants with a sophisticated irrigation system, weapons and
evidence of a recently used campsite. Two men were taken into custody.

All day Thursday law enforcement agents combed the rugged hillside by air
and ground searching for additional groves and estimate they found a total
of 10,000 plants.

Weber County Sheriff Brad W. Slater said in a statement, "This is one of the
largest marijuana groves found in Weber County."

The area where the marijuana plants were discovered is in rugged country
some way from the nearest large town, but during the fall the mountains are
full of hikers and hunters.

Law enforcement officials told Reuters the marijuana plants were destroyed
Thursday. Police will continue searching the area Friday for additional
plants and other suspects.