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Attorney general Bill Lockyear says it's not that the number of pot farms is up, but that their crackdown is working. This season, agents uprooted nearly 1.7 million plants, smoking last year’s record.
Helicopters and armed agents swarmed hillsides and turned pot farms this summer.
In mid-August authorities found more than 4,000 plants in Eastern El Dorado County, some along hiking trails and near high end homes.
In early September agents found 4,000 plants on private land in El Dorado County, the owner didn't know was there. The state says these discoveries are the result of ramping up their camp program, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting.
They carried out 477 raids in 34 counties during the traditional growing season which ends in early October.
Last year agents found more than 1.1 million plants, this year nearly 1.7 an increase of more than half million pot plants.
Officers also made 27 arrests and seized 29 weapons - and that's what makes these operations so scary. In almost all of these cases, agents told us they found ammunition and campsites, meaning people were protecting the grows.
Authorities say seizures have increased because of camp teams hitting the hills, advances in aerial technology and larger garden sizes. As agents eradicate garden after garden, the state says it's the number of pot farms being wiped out that will continue to grow.
The estimated street value of the plants seized this year? 6 point seven billion dollars.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: CBS 13
Pubdate: 30 October 2006
Author: Serene Branson
Copyright: 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc
Contact: cbs13.com - E-mail CBS 13
Website: CBS 13 News
Helicopters and armed agents swarmed hillsides and turned pot farms this summer.
In mid-August authorities found more than 4,000 plants in Eastern El Dorado County, some along hiking trails and near high end homes.
In early September agents found 4,000 plants on private land in El Dorado County, the owner didn't know was there. The state says these discoveries are the result of ramping up their camp program, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting.
They carried out 477 raids in 34 counties during the traditional growing season which ends in early October.
Last year agents found more than 1.1 million plants, this year nearly 1.7 an increase of more than half million pot plants.
Officers also made 27 arrests and seized 29 weapons - and that's what makes these operations so scary. In almost all of these cases, agents told us they found ammunition and campsites, meaning people were protecting the grows.
Authorities say seizures have increased because of camp teams hitting the hills, advances in aerial technology and larger garden sizes. As agents eradicate garden after garden, the state says it's the number of pot farms being wiped out that will continue to grow.
The estimated street value of the plants seized this year? 6 point seven billion dollars.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: CBS 13
Pubdate: 30 October 2006
Author: Serene Branson
Copyright: 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc
Contact: cbs13.com - E-mail CBS 13
Website: CBS 13 News
