cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Garden Worth $40 Million Destroyed Marijuana Garden Worth $40 Million Destroyed Posted by FoM on August 17, 2000 at 12:18:50 PT By David A. Andersen, MediaNews Group Source: Chico Enterprise Sheriff's deputies harvested a massive marijuana garden Wednesday morning, nabbing 10,237 plants that police valued at an estimated $40 million at maturity. The garden was found in steep and remote terrain beyond Feather Falls. The well-established plot with two live-in camps was discovered by deputy James Marshall, a helicopter pilot for the Butte County Sheriff's Office. The site is near a garden of 7,805 plants discovered two weeks ago that police claim was worth $24 million. The land of both confiscated gardens is owned by Sierra Pacific Industries. The garden has been under surveillance for about two weeks. "The plants started to wither, so we figured they fled," Sgt. David Panchesson of the Butte County Sheriff's Office Special Enforcement Unit said. The coordinated drug enforcement team included the state Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), Butte County Sheriff's Office Marijuana Eradication Unit, the Butte County Special Incident Response Team and the Special Enforcement Unit, as well as the National Guard. "This is not the first season. This is a very large and very established operation, maybe been here for five or six years," said Sonja Barna, Operations Commander, Department of Justice. Carefully cleared growing areas protected from aerial observation by the forest canopy stretched several football fields in length. A lot of time had been invested in the rustic tables, platforms and chairs made of hand-carved poles lashed together. A lookout platform was crudely constructed. Nine sleeping bags and food stores for several months were confiscated. Armor-piercing bullets and rifle ammunition was discovered. Human-size scarecrow dummies were found, complete with black tape and duct tape weapons in their hands. The helicopter airlifted loads of about 500 pounds at a time out of the garden and up to a clear area where the marijuana could be transported to the Sheriff's Office for incineration. With the helicopter, a normal two-day operation was accomplished in about six hours. At maturity each plant yields approximately a pound of marijuana to sell at a price of $3,500 to $4,000. In full operation now for about three weeks, the CAMP activities in the state have netted more than 70,126 plants at an estimated value of more than $280 million. "We believe this is the same group as the last one," said Panchesson. "We do have some names we're researching." Author: David A. Andersen, staff writer for the Oroville Mercury-Register.Pubdate: Thu, 17 Aug 2000Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)Copyright: 2000 The Media News GroupContact: letters chicoer.comFax: (530) 342-3617Address: P.O. Box 9, Chico, CA 95927Website: http://www.chicoer.com/Related Articles: Calif. Reports Record Crackdown On Marijuana Crop http://cannabisnews.com/news/3/thread3451.shtmlFinal Tally On Pot Seizure: 48,000 Plants http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2906.shtml50,000 Pot Plants Confiscated in San Benito County http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2894.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by chair67 on September 26, 2001 at 12:55:46 PT nice these are all really good arguements, but i have somthin to add. think about how many people die from drunk driving. then think about how many people die because they were high and driving. i say the gov. legalizes the good stuff and gets rid of alchohol and cigs. then pot will become a larger industry for it'self [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by blown on May 17, 2001 at 01:46:37 PT let it grow let it grow let it grow let it grow let it grow let it growharmless harmless harmless harmless harmless harmless harmleess [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by HarryFelterbush on April 25, 2001 at 21:14:23 PT: Marijuana I believe that the laws regarding marijuana are unfair and unjust. Why should someone who grew a God given plant (which cause less problems than cigarettes or alcohol) be locked up for as many years as someone who may have done an armed robbery? I believe we should legalize it and the government could tax it for all I care and finance their stupid debt, hell, it beats selling war ships to the Japanesse! Anyway, grow it wherever you can, smoke it till it makes you smile, and hopefully one day it will be legalized. Oh, and DEA, you can kiss my ass! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by danky on April 25, 2001 at 17:39:25 PT blah legalize it and we wouldnt have this problem [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Vandalizum on January 28, 2001 at 18:45:00 PT: Man I wish i was a cop..... Man, if i we're set out to find a crop plot, fuck turning that shit in, i'll kill the mother fuckers in the field and take it all! HELL YEAH!, and anyone who reads these can have some!~!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on August 17, 2000 at 13:58:15 PT all that money wasted!Every year they do it and every year the weed is still there. The weed will still be there next year and thereafter.Just no logic in itThese narks just are parasites sucking living blood from honest working folks. A good nark is a dead one or an ex-nark. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on August 17, 2000 at 12:42:37 PT: All that medicine...ruined To all you narks in California:Yes, gentlemen, you should feel very pleased with yourselves, right now. Uh-huh. Just think: because of you, little old ladies barfing their guts out from chemo will have to confront ruffians on dark street corners to get what they need to survive. Thanks to your dilligence in protecting the public from the scourge of something that has never killed a single person in 5,000 years of recorded history, people suffering from various central nervous system maladies will endure excruciating spams. Glaucoma patients will take another step closer to the darkness, thanks to you.On a metaphysical note: a friend of mine had a Near Death Experience years ago. She told me that she really did re-live her life in it's entirety, and that not only did she remember all the painful things done to her, she felt the pain of those whom *she* had hurt, intentionally as well as accidentally. With all the pain and horrors that have been inflicted upon the sick and dying by the DrugWarriors, I'd hate to be in their shoes come check-out time. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: