Posted on 08/06/2005 1:42:33 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
Bay Area pot farming is taking a frightening new turn. A state Fish and Game warden was shot in both legs and a man was killed Friday during an early morning raid on a huge marijuana garden near Mount Umunhum in a rugged, remote area of Santa Clara County.
The operation had the hallmark of aggressive Mexican drug cartels, which in recent years have cornered California's marijuana-growing market, state drug agents say.
"It's scary," Bob Cooke, special agent in charge of the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement in San Jose, said of the new trend. "Once you hit the ground, they are dressed in camouflage and hide in tunnels and scurry up trees and watch us from above."
An unidentified man who authorities say had been guarding the pot farm died after being hit in an exchange of gunfire during the raid, carried out by Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies with the assistance of three wardens.
Because of the intricacy and size of that [pot-growing] operation, authorities said they suspected the garden was run by a Mexican cartel. …Authorities say the multi-billion-dollar cartels have found it safer and more lucrative to grow marijuana in the United States than to have to smuggle it into the country. Instead, the cartels smuggle in low-paid Mexican guards, hand them rifles and shotguns, and order them to shoot anyone passing by the gardens.
"They spend all their time in the gardens and speak little or no English and are told to defend the garden whatever way they can," said Robin Schwanke, a spokeswoman for state Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
I hate being wonuded, it's vey series.
WOD !
The competition with the local "pot growers" is without merit. Deport these price cutting illegals immediately. I am sure they are working for less than the local wage. They launder the proceeds and send most of the money home. EXTREME SARC!!!
I don't know. It might be fun to be wonuded- if there's a wonuded woman around, too.
Gardening skills that reach new hights of excellence. Take the leaf blowers away from them and offer them an AK-47.
Ahem! Should have read "wounded". Damn illegal immigrant spell-checker I hired. He's totally worthless. Gotta watch every little thing he does.
ping
Thanks for the ping. Thanks for posting and stating in bold.
Very possibly something similar happened to the missing park Ranger in Colorado.
Hang 'em High!
Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!
Be Ever Vigilant!
Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!
wonuded? let me tell ya, that is paniful!
They still grow weed "on the ground" there in California?
Damn, how old fashioned.
LOL!
Where aand When? Was that recent?
Since there are certain Freepers who follow me from thread to thread I'll just add my BTTT to this one.
:)
Simple Solution:
Decriminalize marijuana
No one in recorded history has ever died from smoking pot. But hundreds die each year due to a dangerous black market. Legalize it, tax it, require an ID to buy it. In other words, just like Budweiser.
The nation would instantly be safer.
Are you kidding? How will crooked local and state officers pay for their new Hummers then when they underreport cash seizures? < /Sarcasm >
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