INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER BUDDING MARIJUANA CROP

GILROY -- Sheriff's drug investigators uncovered a sprawling lot of more
than 1,000 marijuana plants along a rugged hillside in the southwest corner
of the county, the department announced Tuesday.

Deputies with the Marijuana Detection and Enforcement Team were called over
the weekend by an employee at the county's Open Space Authority, outside of
Gilroy. The employee had stumbled across the budding plants, said Lt.
Edward Laverone, who supervises the unit. Authorities on Monday uprooted
and destroyed 1,080 plants, he said.

Laverone suspected the marijuana cultivation had begun within the past week
to 10 days. The plants found were about 6 inches tall, and if they had
matured could have been worth at least $750,000, he said.

No suspects have been arrested.

Authorities ask anyone with information to call the sheriff's Special
Operations Division at (408) 808-4764.