The scourge of illicit drug production on our public lands is by now a depressingly well-trod subject, from cartel-funded pot growing operations on national forests to mobile meth labs. It’s such a common thing that we should be accustom to it by now, but sometimes the sheer scale and criminal chutzpah of some of these operations still has the ability to make you shake your head.
From this story on news10.net:
The discovery of a large marijuana growing operation in south Sacramento County kept fish and game wardens busy Sunday afternoon. Wardens and other law enforcement officers chopped down more than 5,000 pot plants in the Cosumnes Wildlife Habitat in between the towns of Thornton and Galt.
A California Highway Patrol chopper helped haul bags of pot plants, chemicals and equipment. “The concern right now is to get what damages the environment fuel fertilizer and things like that, we wanna get that out,” Fish and Game Public spokesperson Andrew Hughan said. On Thursday, a game warden investigating a poaching tip, discovered the growing operation. He then had a face-to-face showdown with one of the suspects.
According to the story, the game warden came around a corner and met one of the growers, who was armed with a shotgun. Fortunately, the man surrendered when the warden drew his gun, but the suspect later told authorities that 12 others involved in the operation got away.
Think about that: this pot patch was so big it required the services of over a dozen criminals. And authorities have so far removed over 5,000 plants, 20 loads of fertilizer, 40 gallons of gasoline and eight propane containers. I’d hate to think what that area looks and smells like right now. And all this right out in the open on on a piece of public ground that you and I own.
Is it getting worse? And if so, what can be done about it?