A joint operation between federal and local authorities in seven states has resulted in the destruction of over 578,000 marijuana plants worth over $1 billion that had been growing on public lands, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Operation Mountain Sweep, which began on July 1, took place in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington and resulted in the eradication of 96 marijuana grow sites in California alone, according to the feds. From a DOJ press release:
In the Eastern District of California, 14 defendants have already been indicted as part of Operation Mountain Sweep. All of the defendants were arrested during operations at marijuana grow sites on federal public lands since July 1. Federal grand juries in Sacramento have returned indictments in four cases involving nine defendants charged with cultivating marijuana in the Shasta-Trinity and Mendocino National Forests. Those four cases involved over 23,000 marijuana plants. Six firearms were recovered in those cases. Federal grand juries in Fresno, Calif., have returned three indictments involving five defendants charged with cultivating marijuana in Sequoia National Forest and Death Valley National Park. Those three cases involved more than 14,000 marijuana plants. Two firearms were recovered in those cases.
