Pubdate: Wed, 23 Jun 2004
Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)
Section: Around the Empire
Copyright: 2004 The Press Democrat
Contact:  http://www.pressdemo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/348
Author: Shadi Rahimi

POT GARDENS FOUND

Tipped off by a landowner who discovered an illicit marijuana garden on his 
Calistoga Road property, authorities seized 2,000 marijuana plants from a 
wooded area near Santa Rosa on Tuesday, authorities said.

The Sonoma County Narcotics Task Force located the plants after the man 
alerted authorities, Sgt. Chris Bertoli said. It was the second such 
discovery since Friday, the opening day of a summerlong enforcement effort 
by county narcotics agents.

The plants, measuring up to 2 feet tall, could have been worth an estimated 
$1.75 million had they reached maturity, Bertoli said.

One of the county's largest hauls was discovered on the same property last 
year when drug agents seized more than 6,400 pot plants, he said.

In a separate incident Friday, a ranch manager working at a Skaggs Springs 
Road property was confronted by two men armed with rifles. He drove away 
and called police. The task force in a search by air located 1,000 plants 
measuring up to 3 feet tall.

No suspects were located in either incident.
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