The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office released the results of its marijuana eradication program on Tuesday.
The Sheriff’s Office has received federal grant funding through the Domestic Cannabis Eradication Suppression program for more than 25 years. The grant provides funding to local law enforcement agencies to eradicate illegal marijuana cultivation sites.
The federal fiscal year is over, and the Sheriff’s Office released the results of this year’s program. According to the Sheriff’s Office, detectives eradicated a total of nine marijuana fields in the Los Padres National Forest. That included a total of 101,752 marijuana plants, all of which were destroyed.
Detectives from the Special Investigations Bureau found several camps where people were living while growing the plants. Within those camps, detectives found thousands of pounds of trash, human waste, toxic chemicals, camping equipment, food, and a total of 10 weapons were found. No suspects were found during the eradication efforts. Detectives believe the suspects left when they heard detectives entering the area. The Sheriff’s Office says based on evidence found at the grow sites, the grows were likely organized and operated by suspects associated with Drug Cartels out of Mexico.
