Pubdate: Tue, 15 Aug 2000
Source: Bakersfield Californian (CA)
Copyright: 2000, The Bakersfield Californian.
Contact:  PO Box 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302-0440
Website: http://www.bakersfield.com/
Author: La Taschia Gray, Californian staff writer, POT SEIZED IN SEQUOIA

The Sequoia National Forest was this week the site of another massive 
marijuana seizure.

Law enforcement officials in Tulare County eradicated 4,316 marijuana 
plants from the forest Tuesday.

This makes the second recent marijuana plantation raid in the forest.

Earlier this month, officials eradicated 12,145 plants - the most marijuana 
ever seized in forest service areas in Kern County.

This week, Tulare County Sheriff's Department officials received a tip 
after hunters happened across the groves.

According to Margie Clack, information officer for the Greenhorn Ranger 
District, the hunters were called out for assistance when a bear was 
spotted north of Johnsondale and west of what turned out to be the 
marijuana groves.

After further investigation, Clack said, the Tulare County Sheriff's 
Department, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Campaign Against 
Marijuana Planting (CAMP) team acted and seized one garden with nine plots 
and another garden with more than 10 plots.

The plants were being cultivated in the groves of the Giant Sequoia Redwood 
trees, recently declared the Giant Sequoia National Monument.

CAMP used its Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter to lower SWAT members into the 
gardens where the trees were too thick to allow the helicopter to land, 
according to Clack.

Kern County sheriff's Sgt. Marsh Carter said the marijuana plants ranged 
from 3 to 6 feet in height.

Carter said the department actively participates in searches each year to 
find and destroy the plants.

"This year we're going out hitting walking trails," he said. "We're trying 
to get these plants before they get 7 to 10 feet tall."

The evidence from Tuesday's raid was taken to a county facility, burned 
inside a hole in the ground and then buried, Carter said.

Officials said the seized marijuana had a street value of $17.3 million.

Carter said the investigation is still under way and that no suspects have 
been arrested.

"We do have evidence we're sending to a crime lab, and hopefully we'll be 
able to detain a suspect," he said.

The Tulare County Sheriff's Department asks for individuals with 
information pertaining to the incident to call Sgt. Marsh Carter at (559) 
733-6218.
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