Pubdate: Fri, 13 Oct 2000
Source: Daily Southtown (IL)
Copyright: 2000 Daily Southtown
Contact:  6901 W. 159th St., Tinley Park, IL 60477
Fax: (708) 633-5999
Website: http://www.dailysouthtown.com/
Author: Alice Hohl

POLICE CONTINUE TO FIGHT WAR AGAINST MARIJUANA

Officials Hope Summer Efforts Deter Others

Despite having arrested only one person, Forest Preserve police
officials said they hope publicizing this summer's seizures of
marijuana plants will deter other drug traffickers from planting crops.

Cook County Forest Preserve police said they teamed with agents from
the Drug Enforcement Administration and state police investigators to
find and destroy crops of marijuana, mostly in southern Cook County,
using high-tech equipment.

After cutting down 56,000 marijuana plants in forest preserves across
the county and using night vision scopes and global positioning
devices to aid their investigation, the combined forces arrested one
person and charged the suspect with unlawful production of cannabis
and manufacture of cannabis with intent to deliver.

Police said they could not release any information about the suspect --
except that he is a resident of Cook County -- because publicity could
jeopardize their chances of having the suspect help them locate other
drug traffickers.

An investigator with the Forest Preserve police said many of the
traffickers tend their crops at night, watering, fertilizing and
weeding patches they have hewn out of the woods for themselves.

"A good deal of activity is taking place at night," said officer Bill
Dineen.

He said that while there are officers on duty at night, it is hard to
catch the "bad guys" because most of the forest preserves are large
and densely wooded, and there are fewer officers patrolling after dark.

"The focus of the department is public safety, and when the public is
not out, we have fewer officers working," Dineen said.

Dineen said some officers have taken a DEA course that teaches them
how to find plants and see through the disguises the marijuana farmers
use to hide their crops.

He said officers have a hard time catching the offenders even though
some growers have gone so far as to cut down trees to make room for
their crops.

Dineen said the global positioning devices made it easier for law
enforcement officers unfamiliar with the woods to avoid getting lost,
and for investigators to keep track of marijuana fields previously
discovered.

The night vision scopes helped investigators monitor the woods at
night without using flashlights.

DEA officials defended the lack of arrests during the investigation,
saying their goal is prevention, not prosecution.

"We're hoping to prevent this," said William Segarra, associate
special agent in charge for the DEA.

"This is a continuing effort and we're hoping this will be a
deterrent," Segarra said.

He said he is looking for cooperation from county residents who might
spot marijuana fields while they are hiking in the forest preserves.

Spokesman Steve Mayberry said that, of the 10 "growing areas" in the
county -- which included 18 plots of marijuana =97 the majority were in
the southern part of the county.

Mayberry said he could not name the forest preserves or be any more
specific about number or location for fear of jeopardizing ongoing
investigations.

Officials said they were also concerned that the marijuana crops were
being grown at the expense of native plants, which are supposed to be
protected in the forest preserves.

Forest Preserve District and Cook County Board President John Stroger
said the value of the marijuana patches that were destroyed totals $50
million.

"We're not talking about small-time marijuana fanciers looking for a
quick high," he said.

Last year, Cook County sheriff's police burned two acres of marijuana
being cultivated along Interstate 57 near Matteson. That marijuana was
estimated to be worth $5 million and was the largest seizure of
marijuana by any police agency in Cook County history.

The $50 million seized this summer was cut down during several
investigations, spread over a few months, police said.

After last year's burn, sheriff's police said they expected to arrest
one of several culprits they captured on tape, but a spokeswoman said
Thursday that no one was ever arrested.
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