rd116
Well-Known Member
4500 plants were found about 15 minutes away from me today. Here's the article!
Officers found 4,500 marijuana plants early Tuesday growing next to the Feather River in Live Oak and arrested a man who was free on bail after allegedly selling heroin, a drug enforcement official said.
Roberto Lopez Garcia, 47, of the 9500 block of Deree Road, jumped in the river and swam for about 20 minutes before being arrested by the Sutter County Sheriff's Department Boat Patrol. A second suspect fled into a nearby forest, said Mike Hudson, commander of the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Team, or NET-5.
Garcia was arrested in July on suspicion of selling heroin by the ounce in Live Oak and Yuba City.
In December, the owner of the private property found evidence of a harvested marijuana garden and notified the Department of Fish and Game, which anticipated another garden this year and notified NET-5, said Hudson.
The department and NET-5 began monitoring the site and saw suspects arrive by boat and rake the land. About 50 plants were seen, he said.
Assisted by the Sutter County Sheriff's Department SWAT team and boat patrol, officers arrived about 7 a.m. Tuesday and found the 4,500 plants, which were airlifted out.
Garcia was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana and committing a felony while out on bail. He was being booked later Tuesday into Sutter County Jail.
The SWAT team hiked into the area and found a "homemade early warning device made from a rat trap" and disarmed it, Hudson said.
Garcia is also expected to face charges of polluting the land in connection with last year's garden, where numerous fertilizer and pesticide containers were found along with trash strewn about. About 2,000 holes were found in the ground, Hudson said.
Officers found 4,500 marijuana plants early Tuesday growing next to the Feather River in Live Oak and arrested a man who was free on bail after allegedly selling heroin, a drug enforcement official said.
Roberto Lopez Garcia, 47, of the 9500 block of Deree Road, jumped in the river and swam for about 20 minutes before being arrested by the Sutter County Sheriff's Department Boat Patrol. A second suspect fled into a nearby forest, said Mike Hudson, commander of the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Team, or NET-5.
Garcia was arrested in July on suspicion of selling heroin by the ounce in Live Oak and Yuba City.
In December, the owner of the private property found evidence of a harvested marijuana garden and notified the Department of Fish and Game, which anticipated another garden this year and notified NET-5, said Hudson.
The department and NET-5 began monitoring the site and saw suspects arrive by boat and rake the land. About 50 plants were seen, he said.
Assisted by the Sutter County Sheriff's Department SWAT team and boat patrol, officers arrived about 7 a.m. Tuesday and found the 4,500 plants, which were airlifted out.
Garcia was arrested on suspicion of cultivating marijuana and committing a felony while out on bail. He was being booked later Tuesday into Sutter County Jail.
The SWAT team hiked into the area and found a "homemade early warning device made from a rat trap" and disarmed it, Hudson said.
Garcia is also expected to face charges of polluting the land in connection with last year's garden, where numerous fertilizer and pesticide containers were found along with trash strewn about. About 2,000 holes were found in the ground, Hudson said.