[Sativa]

Santa Barbara Sheriff’s officials located a marijuana field in the National Forest near Figueroa Mountain. The field was discovered by pilots flying fire missions for Zaca Fire.

Officials from Campaign Against Marijuana Planting and the US Forest Service joined deputies to seize 12,480 marijuana plants.

The total number of plants seized in Santa Barbara County this season is now 95,873. The value of the plants seized this year in Santa Barbara County alone is estimated at over three hundred and six million dollars.

Marijuana plantations are very often the work of dangerous drug cartels, and forest visitors or residents who happen to find them may be harassed or assaulted, according to Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department.

The growers are usually armed, sometimes with automatic weapons and high-power rifles, and they have been known to place booby-traps designed to seriously maim or kill intruders.

Signs of possible marijuana cultivation include new trails or increased use to areas where there would appear to be no attraction, or unusual loss of water flow in creeks.



News Hawk- User http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: KEYT
Contact: Santa Barbara's News
Copyright: 2007 Smith Media
Website: Officials Find Record Amounts of Marijuana in local Field