NATIONAL GUARD DISCOVERS LARGEST POT OPERATION IN STATE HISTORY

SANTA CLARA -- A National Guard helicopter on a training exercise spotted
what authorities are calling the largest marijuana farm in state history,
sheriff's officials said Friday.

It took deputies more than a day to remove the 21,000 plants, which they
estimated were worth about $84 million on the street.

"Nothing's ever come close to 21,000," said Santa Clara County Sheriff's
Sgt. Jim Arata, who added that most marijuana busts average 10,000 to
12,000 plants.

The marijuana was discovered Wednesday in a remote canyon in a rural area
of the county owned by the San Francisco Water Department. Also found were
three base camps, as well as several pistols.

The plantation was vacant when deputies arrived, and no arrests had been
made as of late Friday.

Authorities said the suspects may be Mexican nationals, because Spanish
reading material was found at the site and radios were tuned to
Spanish-language stations.

The marijuana farm was nourished by an elaborate water system, gravity-fed
from nearby creeks and springs. Arata estimated the plants would have been
ready for harvest within the next two weeks.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan