Yosemite National Park rangers this week raided a vast marijuana farm and seized 3,657 plants worth more than $14 million on land inside the park and the Sierra National Forest.
The raid Tuesday in El Portal occurred after a joint investigation by the U.S. Forest Service and Mariposa County Sheriff's Office. Two Mexican nationals, who were in the U.S. illegally, were apprehended in a raid that also involved officers from other agencies.One of the men was armed with a loaded .45-caliber pistol, park officials said.
The cultivation site was extensive. Some of the plants were 10 feet tall and several pounds of processed marijuana also were confiscated. The workers had destroyed native vegetation to make room for the cultivation site.
In a news release announcing the bust, park superintendent Don Neubacher said: "We want these growers to know that we will not tolerate this type of activity on public lands and we will continue to aggressively seek out and eradicate illegal marijuana growing operations."
The raid was carried out safely, park officials said.
-- Pete Thomas
Photo of pot plants that were seized during a raid in Yosemite National Park courtesy of National Park Service
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