News (Media Awareness Project) - US CA: Wire: Marijuana Plants Estimated At $15 Million Found |
| Title: | US CA: Wire: Marijuana Plants Estimated At $15 Million Found |
| Published On: | 1999-08-11 |
| Source: | Associated Press |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 23:58:20 |
MARIJUANA PLANTS ESTIMATED AT $15 MILLION FOUND IN NATIONAL FOREST
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (AP) -- More than 5,000 marijuana plants
with an estimated street value of $15 million were discovered growing among
thick chaparral in the Los Padres National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service
said.
Several law enforcement agencies worked Wednesday to remove the illicit
plant, a task that would take at least two days because of the rough
terrain, remote location and huge quantity of plants.
Each plant was estimated at about $3,000 and probably would have been
harvested in September or October, said Kathy Good, a spokeswoman for Los
Padres National Forest.
"That value may go up because we may find more plants as the removal
operation continues," said Good.
About 40 members from the Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's
Department, California Department of Justice, and the police departments
from Santa Barbara and Santa Maria worked on uprooting and clearing the crop.
"The plants are being cut and ferried out by helicopter in large nets,"
said Good. The plants will be brought to an undisclosed location and burned.
The huge marijuana farm in the Bear Creek Drainage area was discovered at
the end of June during a routine air reconnaissance mission. Authorities
kept the area under surveillance and spotted two men on Tuesday. The men
fled into the dense brush, eluding sheriff's deputies. The suspects remain
at large but authorities believe they had been in the area for a while.
The site also had enough food and other supplies for a few months, a tent,
clothing, fertilizer and tools, Good said.
The marijuana seizure is believed to be one of the largest in the county.
The density of the surrounding flora made it an ideal location for
camouflaging the marijuana plants, which were between 3 to 5 feet tall.
A similar marijuana farm was found last month in neighboring San Luis
Obispo County on a 20-acre site in an unincorporated area of Los Osos.
About 7,200 plants were growing among thick vegetation. The plants had an
estimated street value of $21 million.
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (AP) -- More than 5,000 marijuana plants
with an estimated street value of $15 million were discovered growing among
thick chaparral in the Los Padres National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service
said.
Several law enforcement agencies worked Wednesday to remove the illicit
plant, a task that would take at least two days because of the rough
terrain, remote location and huge quantity of plants.
Each plant was estimated at about $3,000 and probably would have been
harvested in September or October, said Kathy Good, a spokeswoman for Los
Padres National Forest.
"That value may go up because we may find more plants as the removal
operation continues," said Good.
About 40 members from the Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's
Department, California Department of Justice, and the police departments
from Santa Barbara and Santa Maria worked on uprooting and clearing the crop.
"The plants are being cut and ferried out by helicopter in large nets,"
said Good. The plants will be brought to an undisclosed location and burned.
The huge marijuana farm in the Bear Creek Drainage area was discovered at
the end of June during a routine air reconnaissance mission. Authorities
kept the area under surveillance and spotted two men on Tuesday. The men
fled into the dense brush, eluding sheriff's deputies. The suspects remain
at large but authorities believe they had been in the area for a while.
The site also had enough food and other supplies for a few months, a tent,
clothing, fertilizer and tools, Good said.
The marijuana seizure is believed to be one of the largest in the county.
The density of the surrounding flora made it an ideal location for
camouflaging the marijuana plants, which were between 3 to 5 feet tall.
A similar marijuana farm was found last month in neighboring San Luis
Obispo County on a 20-acre site in an unincorporated area of Los Osos.
About 7,200 plants were growing among thick vegetation. The plants had an
estimated street value of $21 million.
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