Pubdate: Tue, 23 Jul 2002 Source: Cherokee County Herald (AL) Copyright: 2002 Cherokee County Herald. Contact: http://news.mywebpal.com/index.cfm?pnpid=726 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1912 2,000 MARIJUANA PLANTS DESTROYED It was a hot week for local and state law enforcement personnel in more ways than one as local agents searched and destroyed more than 2,000 marijuana plants in Cherokee County last week. With an estimated of $2,000 per plant, some $4 million worth of marijuana was eradicated in Cherokee County from this latest effort, $4 million which will not hit the streets, that is! The Marijuana Eradication Program is a joint effort of the Cherokee County Drug Task Force, Alabama Bureau of Investigation, and the National Guard. Teams searched on the ground and from the air, using a Global Positioning Satellite to target areas of large marijuana stands, according to reports. The eradication effort began Monday, July 15, said Cherokee County Narcotics Agent Joe Hester, when agents acted on a tip and seized 1,267 plants in the Sandy Creek Community. On Thursday, agents seized approximately 300 plants and seedlings in the same area. On Friday, July 19, agents found a stand of about 50 plants near Highway 9, approximately three miles west of the Alabama/Georgia State Line. Later that day agents discovered more than 500 plants in the Spring Garden area. ABI agents, using one of the state helicopters, detected many of the plants from the air, reports said. More than 200 plants were discovered in one area and in another area, more than 100 cups of seedlings were discovered which were already 3 to 4 inches tall. These plants were to be set out in the wooded area. On the other hand, some of the plants were found in fields, ranging from three inches to eight feet tall. Some of the plants had been harvested, according to reports. Other eradication programs were ongoing in Cleburne County and Etowah County last week. Plants were harvested in the Hokes Bluff and Gadsden areas, reports said. Alabama total for the three-day eradication program in Alabama came to more than $16 million, reports said. Agents, reports said, used machetes to cut a trail through thick brush, small trees and briars. A rough trek to the bottom of a steep gorge was the only way to get to a crop of marijuana planted at least 50 yards below. In 90-degree-plus weather, they wore gloves, carried water packs on their backs, camouflage knee boots to protect against snakes and plenty of insect repellent. Cherokee County Drug Task Force commander Joe Hester and agent Jimmy Wallace followed the directions of the helicopter pilot circling above. The brush was thick, reports said, and the agents were not able to see the plants until the pilot had directed them to within a few feet of the plot. It took only a few seconds to chop down approximately 30 plants and the agents began the climb to the top of the gorge. The agents used a Global Positioning System to match with coordinates given by the pilot, who guided them from the main highway, along a dirt road to a small trail up the side of the mountain. Cherokee County got an early start on Monday, on an unscheduled day of eradication, when a tip led to the discovery of 1,265 plants, Hester said. Cherokee County led the state for several years in the number of plants found, but fell in the last few years to second after Cleburne County, according to Hester. Both counties have many rural miles, which authorities believe leads to a larger number of illegal plants. More than 10,400 plants were found in Cherokee County in 1999, Hester said. That same year, 437 were found in Etowah County, 3,716 were found in DeKalb, 633 were found in Marshall and 1207 were found in Calhoun County, Hester said. This year the numbers seem to be rising again, something Hester attributes to the tightened security at the borders since Sept. 11. "We're seeing more meth labs and more people are growing their own marijuana," Hester said. Currently, agents are working with local fire departments and schools to educate them about the dangers of methamphetamine, Hester said. Hester said tips and information received from citizens in the community were a tremendous help in this latest successful eradication program. The Task Force urges all citizens who discover suspicious plants or activity to report them to local authorities. - --- MAP posted-by: Tom