Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jul 2012
Source: Verde Independent (AZ)
Copyright: 2012 Western News & Info, Inc
Contact: http://verdenews.com/Formlayout.asp?formcall=userform&form=1
Website: http://verdenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4433
Author: Jon Hutchinson

SHERIFF RENEWS MARIJUANA SUPPRESSION PROGRAM

The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors recently approved a new 
agreement between the Sheriff's Office and the Arizona Department of 
Public Safety for cannabis eradication, controlling the illicit 
production of marijuana grows.

The general agreement is not new. In the past, the Drug Enforcement 
Administration has compensated the local agency directly, but in the 
new contract, all reimbursements pass through the Arizona Department 
of Public Safety. The contracts have just been updated for agencies 
across the West.

Jon Nelson is the Supervisory Law enforcement officer on the 
Prescott, Coconino and Kaibab National Forests.

Nelson says the number of marijuana gardens or 'grows' has been down 
in recent years in the Northern Arizona Forests for which he is 
responsible, even though discovery of the operations were much more 
common between 2006 and 2010 before a major eradication effort.

Even though marijuana plantations have been discovered in remote 
areas of public lands throughout the West, one of the last major 
operations found near the Verde Valley was in Woods Canyon, north of 
Sedona in July 2008.

A number of police agencies worked to watch the marijuana grow and 
the five suspects that appeared to be tending it, but the men fled as 
the agents moved in and they were never apprehended. More than 4,000 
marijuana plants were seized.

Nelson said other grows were found near Crown King and Calf Pen off 
the Fossil Creek Road. The law enforcement supervisor says for 3 
million acres of National Forest, there area only 10 law officers. So 
partnerships with law officers from other agencies are important.

In September 2010, Gila County agencies converged on grow sites in 
the Mount Ord area after separate hunters stumbled upon two of the 
gardens and reported them. Agents hiked in and pulled up more than 
1,200 plants. The operation was said to have been linked to Mexican 
drug cartels producing marijuana for sale in Phoenix.

This July, agents eradicated and destroyed more than 12,000 marijuana 
plants found growing on BLM land near Wikieup, Ariz., in the Big Sandy River.

Many of the marijuana grows seem to be moving indoors, away from 
recreationists who may stumble on a field of cannabis.

Northern California has been dealing with marijuana "grows" in its 
sea of foreclosed homes that have been left vacant or occupied by new 
homeowners. One 2,500 square foot two-story home in Vallejo was found 
to have marijuana.

In Chandler in February 2011, an officer during a traffic smelled the 
odor of marijuana at a nearby home. No one answered but neighbors 
reported that a suspicious man showed up at odd hours. Inside the 
home, Chandler police located a large, elaborate marijuana growing 
operation complete with indoor grow lights and watering systems and 
walls lined with plastic. Police also found three ounces of marijuana 
in bags and cash.

In March, Central Yavapai Fire Department went to fire at a mobile 
home in Prescott Valley. The occupant at first refused entrance to 
the police afterward. But, eventually, the 40 year old occupant was 
arrested when they seized marijuana plants sized from young starts to 
plants four feet tall being grown inside.

This past week Marshals deputies found a man growing marijuana in one 
room of his Camp Verde home.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom