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Authorities in West Marin have found another 3,540 marijuana plants valued at $8.75 million in what has become the busiest season ever for pot garden busts in Marin County.
"This is clearly the largest amount of marijuana we have seen," said Don Neubacher, superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore. "The scale is big."
The latest pot patch was unearthed over the weekend on the ocean side of Inverness Ridge in a remote hidden drainage in the Muddy Hollow area between Inverness and Inverness Park.
A helicopter hauled away 20 loads of marijuana over four hours on Monday and a helicopter was ferrying additional loads Tuesday.
The latest find comes after some 22,740 plants were found and removed from the Bolinas Ridge area - 10 to 15 miles to the south - in July and August. About 1,200 mature plants in bundles waiting for helicopter pickup by authorities were stolen overnight from a Kent Lake area growing site left unguarded by police two weeks ago.
Authorities said the estimated street value of the marijuana removed to date exceeds $71 million, based on about $2,500 per mature plant.
"This is the biggest we have had in Marin ever," said Marin County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Crain. "There are large areas out there where there are no people and it's an advantage (for growers)."
The national seashore is not alone. Pot farms in other state and federal parks in California have been discovered this year, Neubacher noted.
The latest find in Marin was likely connected to the earlier gardens.
"This latest operation looks incredibly similar to what we have seen," said John Dell'Osso, chief of interpretation for the Point Reyes National Seashore, adding that more patches could be found.
The patch had a camp where workers lived so they could tend to the illicit crop as did the others.
Authorities believe Mexican crime families are responsible for the operations.
Despite recent raids on the other pot farms in the area by authorities, growers working at the Muddy Hollow site were there until recently, Dell'Osso said.
"It looked like it has been very active," he said.
Because the growers need water, officials have started to look at drainages in their hunt for marijuana patches. That's how the Muddy Hollow site was found.
"Since the last removal of illegal marijuana, Point Reyes rangers have been on the alert for more growing sites and suspicious activity," Neubacher said, adding helicopters are being used to ferret out the patches. "Our goal is to do surveillance on every major drainage to determine whether there is any additional illegal activity on park lands. We are working overtime to fully eliminate the growing of marijuana on park and adjacent public lands."
Dell'Osso said the Muddy Hollow site was in a remote area, far from public trails.
"It's really off the beaten path, in an obscure area, people would never run across it," he said.
The cultivated land suffered extensive damage from the operations. Similar to other sites, the area's native vegetation was damaged and water systems constructed. Growers killed wildlife and diverted streams that contain threatened species of fish, and used pesticides, Dell'Osso said.
Efforts are under way to remove all the garbage from the site and begin restoration work. The cost of the restoration effort and other costs for all the sites damaged is approximately $100,000.
"We are doing our best to ensure the safety of park visitors," said Colin Smith, who heads law enforcement at the national seashore.
"Our investigators along with the Marin County sheriff's officers are following leads generated from evidence collected at the growing sites."
Newshawk: BluntKilla - 420 Magazine
Source: Marin Independent Journal
Pubdate: 09/13/2006
Author: Mark Prado
Copyright: MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact: mprado@marinij.com
Website: Marin Independent Journal - Home
"This is clearly the largest amount of marijuana we have seen," said Don Neubacher, superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore. "The scale is big."
The latest pot patch was unearthed over the weekend on the ocean side of Inverness Ridge in a remote hidden drainage in the Muddy Hollow area between Inverness and Inverness Park.
A helicopter hauled away 20 loads of marijuana over four hours on Monday and a helicopter was ferrying additional loads Tuesday.
The latest find comes after some 22,740 plants were found and removed from the Bolinas Ridge area - 10 to 15 miles to the south - in July and August. About 1,200 mature plants in bundles waiting for helicopter pickup by authorities were stolen overnight from a Kent Lake area growing site left unguarded by police two weeks ago.
Authorities said the estimated street value of the marijuana removed to date exceeds $71 million, based on about $2,500 per mature plant.
"This is the biggest we have had in Marin ever," said Marin County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Crain. "There are large areas out there where there are no people and it's an advantage (for growers)."
The national seashore is not alone. Pot farms in other state and federal parks in California have been discovered this year, Neubacher noted.
The latest find in Marin was likely connected to the earlier gardens.
"This latest operation looks incredibly similar to what we have seen," said John Dell'Osso, chief of interpretation for the Point Reyes National Seashore, adding that more patches could be found.
The patch had a camp where workers lived so they could tend to the illicit crop as did the others.
Authorities believe Mexican crime families are responsible for the operations.
Despite recent raids on the other pot farms in the area by authorities, growers working at the Muddy Hollow site were there until recently, Dell'Osso said.
"It looked like it has been very active," he said.
Because the growers need water, officials have started to look at drainages in their hunt for marijuana patches. That's how the Muddy Hollow site was found.
"Since the last removal of illegal marijuana, Point Reyes rangers have been on the alert for more growing sites and suspicious activity," Neubacher said, adding helicopters are being used to ferret out the patches. "Our goal is to do surveillance on every major drainage to determine whether there is any additional illegal activity on park lands. We are working overtime to fully eliminate the growing of marijuana on park and adjacent public lands."
Dell'Osso said the Muddy Hollow site was in a remote area, far from public trails.
"It's really off the beaten path, in an obscure area, people would never run across it," he said.
The cultivated land suffered extensive damage from the operations. Similar to other sites, the area's native vegetation was damaged and water systems constructed. Growers killed wildlife and diverted streams that contain threatened species of fish, and used pesticides, Dell'Osso said.
Efforts are under way to remove all the garbage from the site and begin restoration work. The cost of the restoration effort and other costs for all the sites damaged is approximately $100,000.
"We are doing our best to ensure the safety of park visitors," said Colin Smith, who heads law enforcement at the national seashore.
"Our investigators along with the Marin County sheriff's officers are following leads generated from evidence collected at the growing sites."
Newshawk: BluntKilla - 420 Magazine
Source: Marin Independent Journal
Pubdate: 09/13/2006
Author: Mark Prado
Copyright: MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact: mprado@marinij.com
Website: Marin Independent Journal - Home
