Illegal immigrant arrested at marijuana garden on Six Rivers
The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 10/02/2008 01:18:12 AM PDT


Federal agents arrested an undocumented immigrant from Mexico at a pot grow on the Six Rivers National Forest Tuesday.

According to a Six Rivers National Forest press release, Andres Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant, was found on site and arrested for allegedly growing and processing marijuana.

Agents from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in August located a marijuana garden near Grouse Mountain and put together an operation that was carried out on Tuesday.

Agents entered the marijuana garden and allegedly found Hernandez processing marijuana. He was arrested without incident.

A total of 2,169 marijuana plants were found in the garden. In addition, approximately 100 pounds of processed marijuana was also seized in the raid, a Six Rivers press release said.

Also found in the marijuana cultivation site were large amounts of trash and supplies spread throughout an area near Mosquito Creek. Most of these supplies and trash are left behind by the growers after cultivating the marijuana, the statement said.

There is no way to collect restitution for the cost to clean up these areas when growers are in the country illegally, the press release said. Public agencies and local resources are then left with the task and cost of the cleanup.

Hernandez was booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of cultivating marijuana, possessing marijuana for sale and dumping refuse on public lands.

Meanwhile, officials
with the county Drug Enforcement Unit and the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, or CAMP, were operating in Southern Humboldt on Wednesday.
Investigations into illegal grow operations were ongoing in the Seely Creek area, the Woods Ranch area and the Sprowell Creek area. The number of marijuana plants taken was not available at deadline.



http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_10616789