Vroman was also one of the CCW instructors. He out fitted his investigators with silenced MP-5's. I saw him regularly at my work. He and the owner would often go to lunch. I spoke with him many times and handled the sale of his personal vehicle paid for by the county. New Ford 500-"loaded."


This just in:


BREAKING NEWS: Grows with Santa Clara County connections busted
By ZACK CINEK The Daily Journal
Updated: 05/21/2009 12:42:21 PM PDT


Mendocino county police worked to remove marijuana plants from several grows busted in the Ukiah area Thursday.

One grow located in a wooded subdivision just north of Talmage was busted around 7:30 a.m. and another smaller grow on Guidiville road east of Talmage was raided around 9 a.m., police from the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force said.

At the first grow, 888 Watson Road, police loaded marijuana plants cut from growing pots into the back of a pickup truck.

"I think they just come here, water, and leave," Bob Nishiyama, task force commander said. One member of the task force estimated that there were about 500 to 600 plants through out the home and down below in a makeshift basement.

Based on conditions inside the home, Nishiyama said that the people were probably there for short amounts of time. "I think they spent time here when working and setting up."
A garage on the property housed nine grow lights and three household fans mounted around the walls. Nishiyama said that his crew was likely to be there all day.

In the basement, cloned marijuana plants taken from "mother" plants grew in large white plastic trays. The space under the house was illuminated by a grow light becoming increasingly brighter as it was turned on.

No one was at the grow when police arrived, but one involved with the grow was in custody in Santa Clara County. Those involved with the grow are believed to be Vietnamese, he said.
One measure taken by the growers was to bypass
the home's electrical meter by tapping into the power line, allowing the meter to read 750 watts; a below-average amount of electricity for a house.

On a property at 3010 Guidiville Rancheria Road, two were in custody as police readied to take down the grow. A small home and some vineyard grapes were planted on the hillside behind the home.
A bypass of an electrical meter was also done at that location and PG&E was coming to repair it.
In a metal building with plywood interior walls a neat and orderly office space and computer was in one corner. In a back room soft chant-like music played.

Early estimates from police placed the number of plants at about 200.
At the Watson Road home Nishiyama said that several cars would be seized as assets.
A soft-air style rifle in the form of a machine gun, made to shoot rubber bullets, appeared to be used as a decoy. Made of metal and plastic, the guns are actually heavier than the real thing, Nishiyama said.

Zack Cinek can be reached at udjzc@pacific.net or 468-3521.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...2D59.DTL&tsp=1


Agents seize $1.2 billion worth of pot in Calif.

By GARANCE BURKE, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Federal and state agents have arrested 83 people for growing more than $1.2 billion worth of marijuana in an ongoing crackdown on illegal pot gardens in California's Sierra Nevada range.

Local officials said several Mexican marijuana-growing cartels helped set up the grow sites scattered throughout rocky mountainsides of eastern Fresno County, and warned more arrests were likely as the sweep continues.

More than 318,000 marijuana plants were destroyed in the operation, which also netted nearly $41,000 in cash, 25 weapons and two vehicles, Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said Thursday....

Last year, more than 5.2 million plants were uprooted in all federal and state operations that reported seizures to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

"Operation Save Our Sierra" began several months ago, and has involved more than 300 personnel from 17 local, state and federal agencies.

Officials said some of the Mexican citizens arrested in the bust were nabbed in previous years' raids on gardens further south along the mountain range....

Another story here
http://www.9news.com/news/article.as...0031&catid=188

Cliff Note:
Pike Forest, Colorado
5,100 plants
Tooks 24 hours to clear field

It keeps getting better
 

There are now 9,000 medical marijuana users in Colorado. :eek: The retailers are doing a banner business.
I'm sure if O's health care plan goes through, there will be 18,000 shortly.:(

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MN6P18K1FV.DTL


Mexican growers having big pot year in state

Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
07-28) 04:00 PDT Shasta-Trinity National Forest - --
Mexican drug traffickers have expanded their marijuana-growing operations in California parks as state and local governments have tightened spending and slashed jobs and services.

Law enforcement officials say the traffickers, taking advantage of the fact that there are fewer sheriff's deputies and rangers monitoring parks, are cultivating more pot than ever before. This year's multibillion-dollar crop is on pace to be the largest in history, said state officials.

"It's a huge problem," said Gordon Taylor, the assistant special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. "California is ground zero for domestic marijuana cultivation in the country."

The illicit crops are believed to be hidden on ridges and in gullies in California's 31 million acres of forest, with most being grown in state and national parks.

So far this year, more than a million plants have been seized by the state's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, or CAMP program, according to Michelle Gregory, the spokeswoman for the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the pot-growing season is not even half over.

"Our whole state is overrun," Gregory said. "It's an epidemic."

Much of the cannabis grown in California is being exported around the country, into Mexico and overseas. One batch recently harvested in Shasta County was tracked by drug enforcement agents to Chicago and South Carolina....

http://www.independent.com/news/2009...fire-caused-m/

Fire Investigators Suspect La Brea Fire Caused By Marijuana Cultivation

Evidence Points to Illegal Cooking Fire As Cause of the 84,000-Acre Blaze
Saturday, August 15, 2009
By Ray Ford
A week-long investigation by U.S. Forest Service Special Agents, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit, and Fire Investigators revealed that the origin of the La Brea fire is the result of a marijuana drug trafficking operation. Specifically, officials believe the fire started from flames or sparks from a campfire used for cooking.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit has confirmed that the camp at the origin of the fire was an illegal marijuana operation believed to be headed by a Mexican National drug organization.

At the intersection of Owl Canyon and the south fork of La Brea Canyon, near a backpacker’s campground known as Cuchadas, the fire began in one of the most remote and overgrown sections of the San Rafael Wilderness. The camp is several miles inside the area and approximately two air miles south of the Sierra Madre Ridge.

Evidence of the garden, which did not burn during the fire, was discovered in the past few days. The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Narcotics Unit, which has been working to eradicate other cultivation sites in nearby parts of the back country, believes the suspects are still within the San Rafael Wilderness and may be trying to leave the area on foot.

Officials warn not to approach anyone who looks suspicious but to instead contact the nearest law enforcement agency. Anyone with further information is urged to contact U.S. Forest Service, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department or local law enforcement agencies....

Another article talking about the problem in Colorado
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_13212051

with a quote "We don't know why they have decided to come here," he said. "This is new for Colorado. We haven't had time to study the trend."

hmm, could the problem have anything to do with this article, posted on the same day?
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_13212872
Denver's marijuana policy review panel agreed Wednesday to send a letter to the presiding judge of Denver County Court urging a $1 fine as penalty for possession of marijuana of less than an ounce.

I don't see a problem with medicinal marijana, if it is indeed being used for medicinal purposes.

A very good friend of mine was just diagnosed with lymphatic cancer at the age of 48. It has spread to her lungs and liver. They have given her less than a year to live, with chemo. The chemo makes her sick as hell. If marijuana could ease that, and enable her last year of life with her husband, children and grandchildren be more pleasant, I don't know why she shouldn't be able to do so.

Unfortuantely we live in IL, and she will never have that option.

America's khat.

And so it goes...:(

Richard's $.02 :munchin

This is the 4th park/forest bust this year in CO, that I am aware of.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.as...4183&catid=339


They got help from the Colorado Air National Guard which flew a Black Hawk helicopter above the search and lifted large bundles of cannabis out of the rugged terrain, where it could be loaded into vehicles

And yet another...
http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=218068

This area is about 20 miles from my house. My family will have to be extra vigilant while hiking.

In this day and age. I can't believe pot is still illegal. The exact reasons they say it needs to remain illegal. Is the exact same description as how Alcohol effects society. But times the negative effects of alcohol by a 1000.
The fight against illegal Pot is big business.