MARIJUANA DISCOVERY LARGEST EVER FOUND ON STATE-OWNED LAND

TALL TASK -- Working with members of the Washington
National Guard, Washington Department of Natural Resources law enforcement
officer Gary Margheim carries a bundle of marijuana plants taller than he
is. Last Thursday, the team helped destory 6,000 plants that were recently
discovered growing on DNR land in Klickitat County.

With its rotors blowing up huge clouds of brown dust and grit, a
military helicopter hovered just above the trees, then dropped cargo nets
laden with marijuana plants.
The scene was repeated about 10 times on Thursday morning, as a
Black Hawk helicopter from the Washington National Guard ferried
approximately 6,000 harvest-ready marijuana plants from an elaborate grow
operation to a junction on an obscure logging road for disposal.
The illegal marijuana grow -- referred to as a "plantation" by
law enforcement authorities -- was recently discovered on a scenic expanse
of land owned by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The
land, all of which is within Klickitat County, is approximately six miles
north of Northwestern Lake.
Three separate plots with intense marijuana cultivation were
located in the area. Combined, the parcels covered about 10 acres.
"This is the biggest grow plantation on DNR land we've found,"
said Gary Margheim, a DNR law enforcement officer. "It's not untypical to
find grows on DNR land, but this size is extraordinary. It feels really
good to get this marijuana so it won't get into our communities."
Authorities estimated that each plant -- which ranged in height
from five feet to about 13 feet -- were worth between $1,000-$1,500 each.
The total "street value" of the harvest was estimated at anywhere from $6
million to $9 million.
"This represents three tons of dried product," said Sgt. Erik
Anderson of the Klickitat County Sheriff's Office.
Margheim explained that the marijuana plants were first spotted
from the air. He described the field where they grew as an old clear-cut on
flat ground just outside the treeline.
"We never would have found it without the helicopter flyover," he
said.
No one has yet been arrested in the case, but authorities at the
scene said they believed those responsible for the grow were "Mexican
nationals," and they had been living on the site to care for the plants.
"These plants were probably tended daily," Margheim explained.
"Their hooches were just inside the trees so we couldn't see them from the
air. I'm pretty sure that when we first flew it, they probably scared
everyone out. We haven't seen anyone."
Anderson said there were several reasons why authorities believed
that those responsible for the plantation were from Mexico.
"We found handwritten items in Spanish, and food products with
Spanish labels, that kind of thing," Anderson explained.
The marijuana grow was discovered through a cooperative
counter-drug detection effort coordinated by the U.S. Forest Service with
the support of Joint Task Force 6, a Department of Defense military unit
geared to support the nation's law enforcement agencies.
Under the auspices of Joint Task Force 6, agencies involved in
the operation included DNR, the Forest Service, Klickitat County Sheriff's
Office, Skamania County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marine Corps, and the
Washington National Guard.
Sgt. Anderson said he was impressed by the sophistication of the
sites.
"I was astounded," Anderson said. "Even the engineering involved
in plugging waterlines into a water source. At one site they had a mile and
a half of tubing plugged into a creek for irrigation."
According to Anderson, Buck Creek was tapped to supply water to
the plants.
One of the Washington National Guard members who helped remove
the marijuana said those responsible knew what they were doing.
"It was pretty rustic, but they were living well," he said.
Anderson added that he believed several people were directly
involved in the illegal endeavor.
"There were separate encampments. They've been living here
probably all summer. Judging by the amount of labor and all these plants,
I'd say there were four to six people here on a full-time basis," Anderson
said. "That's my personal opinion."
Anderson characterized the marijuana plantation as "a
professional operation."
"They did a good job of covering up their trails. I think they
were living at each site and rotating around," he explained.
Authorities searching the sites found evidence that those tending
the plants were armed.
"We found ammunition and ammunition packages, and we found areas
where they had been doing target practice," Anderson explained. "And they
had been poaching animals for food."
Representatives from DNR and the Forest Service expressed relief
that the operation had been discovered.
"Unfortunately, this is becoming more common in state forests,
but with the cooperation of other agencies, we have been successful in
finding and destroying them [illegal drug operations]," said Doug
Sutherland, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands. "Our enforcement
officers should be congratulated for their good work and for keeping our
forests safe for hikers and others who want to recreate in these public
forests."
"This is a good opportunity to eradicate the growing of drugs on
public lands," added Linda Turner, public affairs specialist for the U.S.
Forest Service.
After the helicopter dropped off the netted loads of plants, the
marijuana was stacked in a pile, then loaded onto two dump trucks. The
plants were then hauled to SDS Lumber Co. in Bingen for incineration in the
lumber plant's hog fuel boiler.
"They are providing their incinerator for us," Anderson said.
"They're nice enough to handle that for us."
Anderson added that the furnace is so hot that it basically
"atomizes" the plants, and all emissions are controlled through the SDS
plant's high-tech filtering.
Many laughed at the thought of the plants being burned at SDS,
and what effect that might have on local residents. Members of Portland
television news crews who flocked to the scene were among those who
chuckled at the idea.
"I was wondering if the whole town was going to get a little
loopy tonight," joked Elaine Murphy, news reporter for KOIN TV (Channel 6),
as she interviewed Sgt. Anderson.

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