Pubdate: Thu, 27 Sep 2012
Source: Chico Enterprise-Record (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Chico Enterprise-Record
Contact:  http://www.chicoer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/861
Author: Barbara Arrigoni

AUTHORITIES SEIZE MARIJUANA PLANTS IN BUTTE AREA RAID

BUTTE COUNTY - Hundreds of marijuana plants with an estimated street
value of $34.2 million were found and eradicated Wednesday during a
joint federal and county operation at 10 residences in Forest Ranch,
Palermo and south Oroville, according to authorities.

The operation began around 6 a.m. with agents, deputies and officers
serving federal search warrants at the locations.

At a staging area south of Chico, Butte County Sheriff's Spokeswoman
Miranda Bowersox said the warrants were the result of an ongoing joint
investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S.
Forest Service, the Sheriff's Office and 12 other agencies.

Butte County Sheriff Jerry Smith said Butte deputies had noticed a
group of individuals appeared to be growing "excessive" amounts of
marijuana, so they enlisted the DEA's assistance. The DEA put together
search warrants to seize the marijuana.

Smith couldn't say at the time whether Mexican cartels were involved
in the gardens, as in grows on public lands, nor if the grows were
legitimate.

"That's part of the investigation, to determine whether they're
legitimate grows or not," the sheriff said.

Three of the addresses served were in Palermo and south Oroville. The
remaining six were in Forest Ranch.

More than 140 officers, deputies and agents participated in the
operation.

Once the plants were cut down, they were placed in garbage trucks. Lt.
Al Smith said later Wednesday three garbage trucks were used to haul
the plants to an undisclosed location, where they'll eventually be
destroyed.

By late Wednesday afternoon, authorities said an estimated 967 plants
were seized weighing an estimated combined weight of 17,120 pounds.

Lt. Al Smith said most of the gardens were grown by local people and
didn't involve Mexican nationals or other groups.

"My understanding is they're all on private land," the lieutenant
said. "They're residents, not people coming from out of town."

He also said the gardens were grown for sale.

"In our opinion, they're a commercial grow using Proposition 215 as an
excuse," Smith said.

Smith pointed out differences between the grows seen Wednesday and
those occurring in national forests run by Mexican nationals.

"These are much more sophisticated," he said. "The yield of plants is
higher."

Also, local growers use more sophisticated soil and fertilizer, and
use better watering systems, he added.

Most of the plants Smith said he saw were about six feet tall, and one
plant could yield up to six pounds.

"It's a smaller plant count, but a higher yield," he
said.

No one was arrested during the operation, but the investigation is
open and there may be arrests at a later time, the lieutenant said.
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