Agents seize $1.2 billion worth of pot in Calif.

AP on SFGate.com ^ | 7/23/09 | Garance Burke - ap

[NormsRevenge]

Fresno, Calif. (AP) --

Federal and state agents have arrested 83 people for growing more than $1.2 billion worth of marijuana in an ongoing crackdown on illegal pot gardens in California's Sierra Nevada range.

Local officials said several Mexican marijuana-growing cartels helped set up the grow sites scattered throughout rocky mountainsides of eastern Fresno County, and warned more arrests were likely as the sweep continues.

More than 318,000 marijuana plants were destroyed in the operation, which also netted nearly $41,000 in cash, 25 weapons and two vehicles, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said Thursday.

[Mariner]

"I'm heartened by these arrests. Our western wilderness (particularly in the Sierras and certain coast ranges) are being overrun by these gangsters. It's becoming very dangerous to set foot in many of our wild places because of their remote pot farms and their paranoia in protecting them. They're human vermin, and they need to be removed and eradicated. "

That's as good a reason as any to legalize it.

[Flycatcher]

Wow. Thanks for the update. My new line of work takes to extremely remote places in the West, and I just hate what these foreign gangsters are attempting to do to our wilderness areas.

In fact, for the next six weeks, I'll be at a wilderness area conducting surveys in southcentral Oregon. Such beautiful country, and it makes my blood boil to hear about these criminal takeovers. I'll have to report back to you when I return.

Thanks, AuntB!

[This_far]

82 of the 83 arrested are Mexicans, some have been arrested before in previous years in other areas of the state for the same type of offenses.

There's one in every bunch. (/s)

[The_Sword_of_Groo]

Estimated value of the marijuana would be $2,000 to $3,500 per pound

I love how law enforcement always inflates the value of their seizures. Nobody in their right mind would pay $2000/lb from the manufacturer. More likely would have have sold for 800-1000/lb. I'm not endorsing the practice, mind you. Simply pointing out the disinformation in the article most likely provided by the police to increase the gravitas of their bust. Pot is like any other for-profit enterprise. If you buy in large quantities from the manufacturer, you get substantial discounts. Everybody in the supply chain gets a little markup. No "distributor" is going to pay $125 per ounce for a product that sells on the street for $120 per ounce.

[TWohlford]

“I love how law enforcement always inflates the value of their seizures.”

Kinda like the appraised value of houses before the collapse?

Let’s assume this is all correct, that $1.2 billion was seized. I’m gonna assume that there won’t be any interruption in the supply in any place because of this seizure. Ergo, there must be an almost infinite supply out there, right? That there is no marijuana problem ‘cause everyone has what they want?

This means that all of the high-profile efforts on the stuff have been total failures, and authorities keep trying the same old tactics with the same results.

[Random Access]

This is a plant that consumes the greenhouse gas C02 and gives off life sustaining oxygen. Growing the plant will help slow global warming and consuming it will make you not care about global warming.

Spelled.... win win!

[Uncle Miltie]

Pot is effectively legal in Southern Oregon. I have it on good authority that the D.A. has no interest in prosecuting growers, and the cops have been told to stop bringing cases.

There’s a store-front down the street for a “Medical Smokeshop”.

[TWohlford]

“Pot is effectively legal in Southern Oregon.”

Michigan too, after our completely stupid “medical marijuana” law. I can’t remember the last time I heard of someone getting busted except as part of a much larger investigation.

The mayor of Flint, MI (yup, the place that wants to bulldoze part of the city) believes that marijuana can bring “green” jobs to the area.

[TWohlford]

“Apple has just approved a new application for its must-have mobile device that locates legal marijuana dispensaries in the US for users of medical marijuana. The US$3 download lists the known locations of medical collectives, doctors, clinics and organizations, placing them conveniently on a Google map. When iPhone users are in need of a quick fix, they can activate the app to find the nearest source of legal cannabis.”

Well, hopefully the software gets updated tomorrow to eliminate this source...

[ridesthemiles]

This is the same area where radical Muzzies are supposed to have set up training camps.

[windcliff]

Beverly Bubba

[Loud Mime]

That figure was a little “high”

[The_Sword_of_Groo]

Kinda like the appraised value of houses before the collapse?

Not exactly. The difference being that as it relates to home prices, some people were actually paying waaay too much and driving prices up. Nobody is paying the type prices represented by law-enforcement in that article.

That there is no marijuana problem ‘cause everyone has what they want?

i am not saying there is no marijuana problem. i am saying there is no problem getting marijuana

This means that all of the high-profile efforts on the stuff have been total failures, and authorities keep trying the same old tactics with the same results

To your point, yes. The supply is nearly infinite. it only takes a couple minutes on Google to see the monies spent trying to combat production, prevent importation, etc. Then take a look at any poll of people to see how many either currently or formerly use marijuana. I have seen reports where over 60% say yes, although I think 50% is more realistic. Authorities simply play "whack-a-mole" with suppliers

"How do you expect me to eradicate a weed?" - Harold J. Anslinger , Commissioner of Narcotics in the Bureau of Narcotics, in the Treasury Department - 1937

[SierraWasp]

"It's becoming very dangerous to set foot in many of our wild places because of their remote pot farms and their paranoia in protecting them."

Good call! Especially when you're talking about my back yard!! (so to speak)

Oh... never let an old time english teacher see you call them the "sierras." The name Sierra-Nevada describes a range of mountains and there is only one Sierra-Nevada mountain range, or Sierra, for short.

I know, it's as picky as the San Franciscans insisting you must always call their city by it's full name, rather than just "Frisco," right?

[SierraWasp]

Seems the criminal world is the only one left with any freedoms in CA...

[Flycatcher]

Yeah, they get testy in Frisco when you say Frisco, don't they? LOL!

_{I can get away with it. I'm a Niner fan!}

[Roccus]

No "distributor" is going to pay $125 per ounce for a product that sells on the street for $120 per ounce.

$120/oz. on the street? Now I know why an old buddy moved from NYC to GA recently. LOL!! I never could figure out why he did it. LOL!!!

[Czar]

More eye openers on the Mexican/South American invasion of the United States, as if we needed any further examples. This past week we have had occasion to spend a bit of time in the ICU Lounge at one of our major SoCal hospitals--simply mind blowing. On several days, packed wall-to-wall with hispanics, very few of whom spoke any english.

Lets be sure to remember to thank our corrupt Washington elite for their de facto open borders policy, as they continue to dream of replacing all of us pesky American voters with the new dumbed down horde of invaders looking for free everything as promised by our Washington elite.