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Laotians top growers of pot on Calif. farmland
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | February 9, 2013 | GOSIA WOZNIACKA

Posted on 02/09/2013 3:46:52 PM PST by artichokegrower

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — Last fall, narcotics agents confiscated thousands of marijuana plants, many 10 feet tall, from a 140-acre farm just on the edge of Fresno — one of the biggest pot busts in the county's history. The pot grew hidden among rows of rotting peppers, tomatoes and bitter melons, tended by a dozen immigrant farming families.

Deputies detained 50 people, all of whom were lowland Laotians, a refugee population from southeast Asia that has made its home in California's Central Valley over the past three decades. Investigators say that some of these traditional vegetable growers have become increasingly involved in well-organized medical marijuana growing schemes, with the aim of selling the drug commercially.

The Laotians' involvement has expanded in recent years, with the move toward growing pot in California's agricultural heartland. Now, authorities say, people from this relatively small community account for much of the pot growing in backyards and on prime farmland, while Mexican drug traffickers dominate grows in the forests of surrounding mountains.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: agriculture; california; immigrants; immigration; laos; marijuana; pot; potheads
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"Instead, community leaders say, Laotians have languished in a region with high poverty levels. Many cannot find work and at least 40 percent receive government assistance"

Remind me again how this new amnesty program is going to wrok?

1 posted on 02/09/2013 3:46:57 PM PST by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower

I’m shocked. I thought growing legal hemp was going to restore our greatness as a maritime sailing nation and stimulate jobs in the whaling, rope and sail making sectors.


2 posted on 02/09/2013 3:51:54 PM PST by WorkingClassFilth
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To: artichokegrower

Well, the amnesty program is mostly for the mexicans, not asians.


3 posted on 02/09/2013 3:56:58 PM PST by exnavy (Fish or cut bait ...Got ammo, Godspeed!)
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To: artichokegrower

So we should continue to “celebrate diversity” and get 100% behind more third world immigration?


4 posted on 02/09/2013 3:57:29 PM PST by A_Former_Democrat
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To: artichokegrower; a fool in paradise; Slings and Arrows

How do you say “Far out, dude!” in Laotian?


5 posted on 02/09/2013 3:59:08 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: artichokegrower

Somebody needs to step in and divide up the land before the Mexican Cartels start a war. We cannot have these people planting willy nilly as they like. Maybe the SEIU can unionize these folks and bring some order to the illicit drug market.


6 posted on 02/09/2013 4:00:48 PM PST by PatriotCause (California Sucks)
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To: artichokegrower
It's kind of hard to hide 10-foot high plants among rows of rotting peppers, tomatoes, and bitter melons, which are much shorter. Just sayin'...
7 posted on 02/09/2013 4:00:55 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: artichokegrower

That is good news, indeed. This culture has 2,000 years experience in cultivating this medicinal plant.


8 posted on 02/09/2013 4:01:47 PM PST by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

That was my thought too. These laotians must be great at camouflage.


9 posted on 02/09/2013 4:06:35 PM PST by Venturer
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To: A_Former_Democrat

That’s just it. They have been here 30 years, have limited
English ability, no job skills and 40% of them are on government assistance. I bet 100% of them voted for Obama.


10 posted on 02/09/2013 4:06:45 PM PST by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower
I bet 100% of them voted for Obama.

Makes you wonder why they just don't return to their Commie homeland.

11 posted on 02/09/2013 4:07:51 PM PST by dfwgator
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To: Pearls Before Swine

The plants can be tied down and grow quite well horizontally among other plants.


12 posted on 02/09/2013 4:37:24 PM PST by Freestate316 (Know what you believe and why you believe it.)
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To: artichokegrower

“Laotians top growers of pot on Calif. farmland”

And Mexicans are the top growers of pot on California PUBLIC lands, and Oregon, and Washington, and Texas and Utah and Colorado and.....

Fine citizens we’ve allowed in this country!! Just wonderful contributors!!! NOT!


13 posted on 02/09/2013 4:41:00 PM PST by AuntB (Illegal immigration is simply more "share the wealth" socialism and a CRIME not a race!)
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To: Freestate316
The plants can be tied down and grow quite well horizontally among other plants.

Wouldn't that make them 10 feet "long" rather than 10 feet "tall?"

14 posted on 02/09/2013 4:42:21 PM PST by Pearls Before Swine
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To: Pearls Before Swine

I guess it would, but they were easily concealed among tomato plants.


15 posted on 02/09/2013 4:49:52 PM PST by Freestate316 (Know what you believe and why you believe it.)
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To: exnavy

The Asians are just doing the programming jobs that Americans won’t do.


16 posted on 02/09/2013 4:52:31 PM PST by Freestate316 (Know what you believe and why you believe it.)
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To: AuntB

Sure ain’t Hooterville and Green Acres anymore. Poor American citizens caught in the crossfire.


17 posted on 02/09/2013 5:12:19 PM PST by artichokegrower
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To: artichokegrower

Look on the bright side, at least they aren’t growing
Poppies.

California from Golden state to Golden Triangle...


18 posted on 02/09/2013 5:20:01 PM PST by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: tet68

Except for the fact that I’m sure Latins are the biggest pot growers in SoCal, I’ve heard that the SE Asian gangs DO grow poppies in Kali. White hippies still grow the most pot in NoCal. Or that’s what they say on the street, anyways.


19 posted on 02/09/2013 8:29:14 PM PST by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
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To: Pearls Before Swine

“Wouldn’t that make them 10 feet ‘’long’’ rather than 10 feet ‘’tall’’.<< Sounds like a question you should ask Alice when she was just small.


20 posted on 02/09/2013 11:30:13 PM PST by jmacusa (Political correctness is cultural Marxism. I'm not a Marxist.)
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