Pubdate: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT) Copyright: 2005 The Salt Lake Tribune Contact: http://www.sltrib.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383 Author: Beth DeFalco, Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) POT FARMS ARE BOOMING IN ARIZONA NATIONAL FORESTS PHOENIX - Arizona's national forests are quickly becoming prime real estate for pot farmers, with about 100,000 marijuana plants discovered this year alone, authorities said Thursday. The discovery of a marijuana farm north of Strawberry on the southernmost part of Coconino National Forest marks the sixth farm found this year by members of the Gila County Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. In all, federal authorities estimated the street value of the drugs to be $150 million. "We seem to be the marijuana growing capital of Arizona," said task force commander Steve Craig. Eleven people have been arrested this year in connection with the farms - many of them caught while tending to the plants. All were illegal immigrants from Mexico. Each faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. Authorities said pot gardens have been discovered in Arizona forests since the 1980s, but the frequency and crop size have dramatically increased in recent years. "We have very sophisticated, dangerous individuals moving onto our state lands," said Department of Public Safety Director Roger Vanderpool. Paul Charlton, the U.S. attorney for Arizona, said some gardeners were armed with assault weapons. Charlton also said federal investigators were trying to find out if the suspects have connections to specific drug cartels in Mexico. In the latest bust, the task force had been watching since July, when a man was spotted tending the plants and camping in the garden, which is situated near a remote ravine. Last week, another man was spotted in the garden, and on Monday, two others were seen there. Task force members arrested the men on Monday. Authorities said the group had several weapons stashed at the campsite. Three of them admitted they had been paid to tend the marijuana plants. Authorities said Thursday the latest bust had as many as 20,000 marijuana stalks, planted in pockets at the base of pine trees and scattered on the forest floor. "It's not like planting corn in Iowa; there aren't neat rows," Craig said. Authorities spent days this week pulling the plants and airlifting them out of a heavily forested canyon. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth