Pubdate: Wed, 15 Aug 2012
Source: Pueblo Chieftain (CO)
Copyright: 2012 The Pueblo Chieftain
Contact:  http://www.chieftain.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1613
Author: Nick Bonham

BIGGEST POT BUST IN COUNTY HISTORY

High country harvest

SAN ISABEL - Law enforcement agencies on Wednesday conducted the
largest marijuana bust in Pueblo County history and one of the largest
ever in Colorado.

A crop of 7,000 to 9,000 pot plants with an estimated value of $15
million were seized in steep, secluded terrain in what appears to be
the work of a Mexican drug operation.

"This is the work of Mexican cartels," Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk
Taylor said as he looked out on a narrow field of about 2,200 pot
plants early Wednesday.

"This stuff isn't being distributed here. It's being grown, harvested
and sent to California or wherever," Taylor said. "No doubt, it's the
biggest (grow) bust in the history of Pueblo County."

A federal agent who didn't want to be identified said this bust was
either the third or fourth largest in state history.

Four people fled during the raid and two were arrested. Sheriff's
deputies, Pueblo police officers and federal agents moved on the sites
at about 6 a.m.

One site is located between Colorado 165 and Old San Isabel Road and
the three other sites are located a short but steep hike south of the
highway.

The grow operation is located between Lake Isabel and YMCA's Camp
Jackson.

The plants were grown on private property belonging to the late Bob
Jackson, a well-respected civic leader and philanthropist. Taylor said
the Jackson family was unaware of the grow and was shocked at the news.

"They didn't know about this. No one comes down here. You can't see
this from the road. The only way you see this is from the air," Taylor
said.

The sheriff's office began investigating the operation in January,
when snowshoers found stashed supplies and chemicals and reported a
possible methamphetamine lab.

Since then, Taylor said narcotics detectives and federal agents
watched the grow from the ground and air.

The names of the suspects were not released Wednesday, but Taylor said
they are Mexican nationals who have been growing on the Jackson
property for about three years.

The sophistication and operation of the grow amazed law
enforcement.

"These guys are extremely disciplined," Sheriff Lt. John Pannunzio
said.

Irrigation lines ran up and down the mountainsides and through the
rows. The lines were camouflaged, either by paint, bark or dirt. Every
plant was fertilized and had a drip line.

The growers built irrigation ponds by channelling water runoff and
seepage.

There were shelters designated for drying, cutting and packaging.
Large trash bags of buds and clipped plants were left hanging in some
of the huts.

In one packaging site the ground was littered with marijuana leaves
and stems. Some of the taller plants that hadn't been clipped stood
about 5 feet tall.

Pannunzio said a crew of 12 workers had recently visited the grow and
bundled 400 pounds of marijuana, which probably was loaded quickly
into cars on Colorado 165.

The workers were brought here to live and grow in the Greenhorn
Mountains. Federal agents who didn't want to be identified said
private and public land along the Front Range has become favored grow
sites for cartels.

Two years ago, the state's largest bust was uncovered in Jefferson
County, a cartel-linked grow of 15,000 pot plants.

The workers slept in campsites, which were found loaded with fresh
supplies - food, beer, tequila. The workers cooked on propane grills
so not to produce smoke.

Besides a pocketknife and tools, no weapons were recovered or booby
traps found.

A Blackhawk helicopter was called in to remove the plant bundles from
the terrain. Trees were cut down so the chopper could drop supplies
and haul away loads.

Officers were able to clear one of the grow sites Wednesday but
secured the others until efforts could resume today.

The plants will be stored, dried and eventually will be destroyed.
Deputies escorted a dump truck loaded with pot plants out of the
Greenhorn Mountains to an undisclosed location.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt