POT BUST STREET VALUE SET AT $2.6 MILLION

After a four month investigation by federal and local authorities, the
Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department conducted raids in the Scott Bar,
Scott River and Salmon River areas culminating September 11th with several
arrests and the confiscation of 13,000 marijuana plants valued at over $2.6
million.

County officials said they arrested members of the Lua family Mexican drug
cartel on federal warrants and charges of conspiracy to cultivate
marijuana. Arrested were Paublo Augilar, age 29; Omar Lua Zaragoza, age 23;
Rafael Lua Valencia, age 23; and Manual Lua Zaragoza, age 25, all from
Sacramento.

Siskiyou County Sheriff Rick Riggins and Captain Mike Murphy said local
authorities conducted five raids since March during which they found two
assault weapons, including a 9mm semi-automatic sub-machine gun, three
rifles, and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

Riggins said a thorough search of the grounds led to the seizure of several
pounds of processed marijuana, documents reflecting the wire transfer of
thousands of dollars worth of US currency, a journal and $1,800 cash.
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According to Riggins, the gardens were well organized and equipped with
clean living quarters, including two hooches (hand made shacks), a garbage
dump and drying racks.

"They brought in copious amounts of fertilizer and miles of irrigation
equipment," said Riggins.

Murphy said the most recent raid occurred in the Middle Creek drainage area
near Scott Barr, northwest of Fort Jones.

Murphy said that on September 11th, his department received information
from the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement in Sacramento indicating that
members of the Lua organization were traveling to Siskiyou County to
harvest the gardens.

The following day aerial surveillance confirmed the illegal activities.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Marijuana Eradication Unit and Special
Response Team, and US Forest Service officers immediately responded to the
area.

"As our team approached the gardens, we encountered three suspects
harvesting the gardens," said Riggins. "The suspects fled, and we engaged
on foot pursuit."

A California Highway Patrol H-16 helicopter and a private helicopter from
Burl Brim Aviation were called to assist in the chase and spotted the
suspects on the ridge line, identifying one as Zaragoza.

Riggins said Sheriff's officers were short-hauled from the Burl Brim
helicopter a short distance above Zaragoza, where he was chased down the
hillside and taken into custody.

Zaragoza was charged with distribution of a controlled substance and later
released to federal authorities in Sacramento on a pending federal warrant.
Two of the suspects escaped.

Riggins and Murphy said the recent raids in Siskiyou County stem from an
investigation which started last year.

Federal, state and local authorities said they began tracking
methamphetamine trafficking and marijuana cultivating activities of the Lua
organization in northern California and Siskiyou County.

During the investigation, authorities said they observed the drug cartel's
activities from Sacramento to the Oregon border, using global positioning
satellite tracking devices, ground and aerial surveillance, along with pen
registers and telephone toll analysis.

Riggins said the department was committed to concluding the raids this
month, knowing peak harvest season of marijuana in Siskiyou County
coincides with the beginning of hunting season.

"It's a dangerous situation," said Riggins. "As harvest season approaches,
more money is at stake, and the crops are aggressively defended. The
operations were very important to us and we knew we needed to arrest
individuals of the organization to have an impact."

Riggins said the operations were kept confidential to help ensure the
safety of agents.

But Riggins and Murphy agreed the potential danger of hunters meeting
growers was critical, and the operation needed to be completed soon.

"We needed 20 agents from the Siskiyou County Sheriff's and Special
Response team every time we conducted a raid, and harvest season is a
dangerous time for agents," said Riggins.

Riggins said the ongoing investigation required extensive planning for
weekly surveillance operations between Sacramento and Oregon.

"We saw 50-gallon barrels full of supplies being dumped over the side of
the road," said Riggins.

Deliveries were tracked as growers took supplies back to the gardens.

Riggins said confidential information received from informants and pole
cameras were used to develop probable cause, and the identities of
co-conspirators involved.

On September 22nd, the US Attorney's Office in the eastern District of
California presented its case before a federal grand jury. Agents
anticipated the indictment of all suspects.

The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department said the investigation of
marijuana cultivation in the county is continuing.