Posted on 03/01/2010 8:20:22 AM PST by george76
Some Using Armed Guards, Trip Wires To Safeguard Plots.
Not far from Yosemite's waterfalls and in the middle of California's redwood forests, Mexican drug gangs are quietly commandeering U.S. public land to grow millions of marijuana plants and using smuggled immigrants to cultivate them.
Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, but Mexican traffickers have taken it to a whole new level: using armed guards and trip wires to safeguard sprawling plots that in some cases contain tens of thousands of plants offering a potential yield of more than 30 tons of pot a year.
"Just like the Mexicans took over the methamphetamine trade, they've gone to mega, monster gardens.
Local, state and federal agents found about a million more pot plants each year between 2004 and 2008, and authorities say an estimated 75 percent to 90 percent of the new marijuana farms can be linked to Mexican gangs.
In 2008 alone, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, police across the country confiscated or destroyed 7.6 million plants from about 20,000 outdoor plots.
Growing marijuana in the U.S. saves traffickers the risk and expense of smuggling their product across the border and allows gangs to produce their crops closer to local markets.
The Sequoia National Forest in central California is covered in a patchwork of pot fields, most of which are hidden along mountain creeks and streams, far from hiking trails. It's the same situation in the nearby Yosemite, Sequoia and Redwood national parks.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedenverchannel.com ...
Dealing with Mexican drug gangs would/should make beautiful training exercises for SEALS and other Special forces..
DoD does not want the mission. When stationed in HI, there was talk of using Marine assets to patrol the hills for pot growers. The Marines said no thanks due to public relations aspects and safety of troops. Those pot growers were using claymores and M-60s to secure their fields. Nothing like sending a Marine home in a box due to stepping into the wrong grid square in HI. Pot growers are a paranoid and dangerous group of people. If you find yourself in a field, get out and go away fast.
and the feds do not want us to carry weapons in the parks.....
We still have Texas. Maybe they could send over a Ranger or two to take care of this problem.
Anyone ready for legalization yet?
More about his here, with photos of these plantations and the damage to our environment...and soveriegnty...where are the ecofreaks when you need them???
http://www.idealtaxes.com/post3062.shtml
One of the firearms recovered from a Cartel grow in Siskiyou County, Ca.
A log book kept by a cartel worker...notice MS13 notes.
One of the huge pits..big enough for an SUV, that the cartels hide their equipment.
Campsite...food refuse, human waste, burning candles...
I am afraid to hike in the Mark Twain National Forest (in Missouri, meth capital of the world) for this very reason. It’s a shame. I don’t know what’s in there, but I’m not gonna be the one to find out.
A guy hubby works with daugher is a forrest ranger in California and she has said it is getting really dangerous going out into the park and none of them go alone to anywhere that hasn’t been visited in the past few weeks for fear of stumbling into this sort of thing.
Nor should you be. Its a clear cut case of the government,at all levels,abdicating their responsibilities.
Clearly if they can be reported in the press then those in power cannot plead ignorance.
Good idea... that or issue no limit tags and let our hunting populace get in some target practice to clean the scum out!
Why would anyone be surprised. Here’s your AMNESTY, McCain!
I'm inclined to agree -- it's Mexican dirt weed anyway. American home-grown is much better quality ...
How would legalization stop this problem?
In other news Mexican gangs and millions of other illegal aliens are taking over towns, cities and states all over America.
Indeed, though I’d still want them ejected from public land. I don’t even care so much if there are little plots here or there (in the long run) but people should not be worried about trip wires on what is ESSENTIALLY land owned by every citizen of the United States (or of that state) and is for their enjoyment.
And it is more hidden, unlike other drugs which could not (as easily) be grown on public lands.
But then, if we let people make decisions for themselves whatever would the government do?!
Part of me wonders how much of this is simply propaganda put forth by by the government in order to justify the WOD.
Really? My guess is the government would see the new legal marijuana business as a great source of revenue and eventually tax it in close proximity to the taxes they impose on tobacco.
The illegal cigarette market is a very booming business. Take a little field trip. Go to your local grocery store or convenience store and look at the brands of cigarettes available and notice the prices. Next drive to a local Indian Reservation and go to a smoke shop. Take a look at the brands available and notice the prices. You will notice a whole plethora of brands that are illegal to sell of the reservation at very low prices (because they don’t have to charge taxes).
How will legalized marijuana be any different?
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