Here ya go, xob, we had another bust yesterday and they sent in Bush's "Drug Czar" for the photo op. Yep, they are assuring everybody that the Mexican drug cartels are taking over our public park lands
http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story...13358954c.html
Drug czar reclaims land
Federal official in Fresno fighting spread of drugs to parks.
By Louis Galvan / The Fresno Bee
(Updated Thursday, August 31, 2006, 4:51 AM)
With Mexican drug cartels linked to nearly 80% of illegal marijuana-growing operations found on state and federal public lands, national drug czar John Walters said his office is working to free those lands from drug traffickers.
Walters was in Fresno on Wednesday to join a marijuana-eradication operation near Pine Flat Reservoir in the Sierra National Forest in eastern Fresno County. He also met with top local, state and federal law enforcement officials.
According to the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy, the multibillion-dollar marijuana production industry is spreading fast across the country.
While more than 50% of the marijuana produced on public land across the U.S. is in California, operations also have been found in Hawaii, Kentucky, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia.
Walters said more than 1.1million marijuana plants were eradicated from state and federal public lands in California last year, with an estimated street value of $4.5 million.
And already this year, only two months into the growing season, more than 940,000 plants have been eradicated in the state.
Out of the 228 marijuana-growing operations found this year on public land, 166 were associated with Mexican national crime organizations, according to figures made public by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
About 1,000 plants were found in Wednesday's raid near Black Rock above Pine Flat Reservoir, said Rick Oules, director of the state Department of Justice. Oules said the marijuana camp was discovered a few days ago and kept under surveillance until Wednesday's morning raid.
No arrests were made, but workers who had been growing the plants apparently left in a hurry, he said.
A vehicle with about 300 pounds of harvested plants was found abandoned near the camp.
"Mexican drug cartels are turning our national parks into centers of international drug production and trafficking," Walters said. "Every American should be outraged that parts of their public lands are being held hostage by illegal traffickers."
McGregor Scott, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California, said marijuana production operations on public lands used to be a problem associated with "hippies," but have become more deadly with the involvement of Mexican cartels.
These operations, he said, are funded and run by violent and heavily armed individuals who have no regard for life or property.
The damage to public land and the environment is massive, he said.
"It's an environmental crisis," agreed California Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
Walters said studies show that for every acre used to grow marijuana, 10 acres are damaged or destroyed. It costs taxpayers about $11,000 per acre to repair or restore the land.
John C. Twiss, director of law enforcement and investigations for the U.S. Forest Service based in Washington, D.C., said the challenge for law enforcement is to join forces, create a wide intelligence network and be prepared to share that information.
The Mexican drug cartels, he said, are no doubt aware of efforts to curb their operations and will make adjustments to keep from getting caught.
Said Twiss: "We have to do the same thing."
(Caption on the photo: A helicopter transports a drug agent riding on a bundle of pulled pot plants taken Wednesday from an illegal marijuana farm in the foothills above Pine Flat Reservoir east of Fresno. No one was arrested in the marijuana-eradication mission.)