"OPERATION MOUNTAIN HIGH" YIELDS MULTIPLE DRUG ARRESTS FOR POT GROWING ON PUBLIC LANDS [View all]

[nadinbrzezinski]

November 14, 2012 (San Diego)-- Today U.S. State Attorney Laura Duffy called a press conference to announce the arrest of six out of 10 suspects wanted by federal authorities in relation to running illegal marijuana farms on state and federal lands in the East County and Riverside County.

"Drug agents on routine aerial surveillance happened to spot and remove a marijuana farm in Julian in the summer of 2010," said Duffy, explaining how the operation started. after the “Chariot Canyon Grow” operation.

What was unusual about this raid, according to Duffy, is that "In this case agents found more than plants and farmers. They found cell phones."

This intelligence cache allowed officers in the Narcotics Task Force to start to put together how the Sotelo Organization worked.

The distribution of marijuana ranged all the way to Northern California, Idaho and Utah. There were also contacts in Mexico; the investigation continues on the Mexican side of the Border. When asked about possible links to cartels, Duffy said that there were no links found, but the investigation is continuing.

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/11726

By the way this is the largest, per officials, drug growing and distribution network.

If you are in public lands anywhere in the US and come across a grove, get away and contact law enforcement.