POT-GROWING OPERATION CAUSES 'UNREAL' ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE

Authorities said Thursday the site of an illegal 2,000-plant indoor
marijuana growing operation uncovered near the Eel River in northern
Mendocino County may have caused up to $1 million in environmental damage.

Two Southern California men have been arrested in connection with the
marijuana operation, located about two miles northeast of the
junction of Highways 101 and 162.

Besides pot plants, investigators found large amounts of diesel oil
from leaky generators that were used to power two indoor growing
structures had been dumped into an open pit about one-half mile
uphill from the river, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators fear the oil has seeped into surrounding soil and
possibly contaminated sources of water for neighboring property owners.

Lt. Ron Burch said it appeared the marijuana growing operation had
been set up to maximize profits.

He said machinery was found in place to extract THC, the potent
chemical found in marijuana leaves and stems known as "shake."
Typically, only sticky "buds" from marijuana plants are harvested and
sold, but in this case Burch said the THC was being extracted in
liquid form and allowed to solidify so it could be stamped into
valuable "cakes," that are easily transported.

"It's all about the dollars," Burch said.

He said the possible environmental damage "is unreal. We don't know
what it will take to clean everything up."

He said the damage is believed to be so extensive that county
environmental workers have asked the federal Environmental Protect
Agency for assistance.

Burch identified the two suspects as Marco Guerra, 33, of Downey and
Anthony Kim of, 29, of La Mirada. Guerra was being held on no bail in
the Mendocino County Jail on suspicion of manufacturing illegal
substances. Kim was being held on similar charges in lieu of $150,000 bail.