6,000 Marijuana Plants Found in National Forest
Authorities are searching for the marijuana farmers who grew 6,000 plants after removing all the trees and bushes and using toxic chemicals in an endangered species habitat of the Angeles National Forest.
No arrests have been made, but the plants, worth about $16 million, have been seized, said Randi Jorgensen, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.
Two separate plots of marijuana, each about 15 acres, were discovered in the San Gabriel Wilderness, northeast of La Canada-Flintridge, during routine aerial surveillance. One plot was discovered July 13 and the other on Friday.
“It was very disturbing that they clear-cut every bush and every tree and stripped the area down to nothing but dirt,” Jorgensen said. “And what really appalled us was the 150 pounds of pesticides, chemicals and fertilizer that was found by the plants. All that washes into stream beds, which can have a very adverse effect on the animals and plants in the area.”
Forty-seven pound of diazanon, an extremely strong pesticide, was found near the plants.
The U.S. Forest Service is investigating the case along with other agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
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