From the Archives: $20,000 worth of marijuana harvested, burned in 1948

The plants were believed to be just plain weeds. But they still had to be gathered up and burned.

A story in the Sept. 9, 1948, L.A. Times reported:

Marijuana valued at $20,000 went up in smoke yesterday -- but not puff by puff.

An even dozen “trees” of the narcotic weed, some as high as 10 feet, were burned by Lt. Ray Huber and other members of the Sheriff’s narcotic squad and Federal Agent George R. Davis.

Apparently growing wild, the stuff was gathered from two places–beside the fence of a slaughterhouse at Rush St. and Loma Ave., Rosemead, and in an alley behind 6800 Alameda St.

Lt. Huber disclosed that the narcotic squad’s attention was first called to the Rosemead marijuana patch two weeks ago. Since then, he said, there has been a “stake-out” there to nab anyone who attempted to harvest it. When no suspicious characters appeared, it was decided to destroy it under Federal supervision as required by law.

This post was originally published in the Aug. 22, 2012, Los Angeles Times.

See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here