Forest fire leads to large marijuana grow

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Story Published: Jul 3, 2009 at 8:12 AM PST

By KPIC Staff

CAMAS VALLEY, Ore. - A small forest fire in southwestern Douglas County on June 18, led to the discovery of what Douglas Inter-agency Narcotics Team officers said was a recently planted cartel grow of marijuana plants.

The forest fire was reported in steep forested terrain north of Highway 42 near the Bear Creek Campground west of Camas Valley.

Drug officers waited for two weeks to see if the growers would return to the site, but they never did. So the 86-hundred plants were harvested.

Police said the grow, on private forest company land, was littered with trash, and there was significant environmental damage to trees and a nearby stream.

Supplies, sleeping bags, tents and other items were located, which police said indicated the growers were planning to live in the grow for the next several months. They also found several bags of fertilizer, pesticide, and other items.

Officials said the plants were still less than six inches tall. At maturity, the street value could be several million dollars.

D.I.N.T. officers remind the public to be aware that armed camped Mexican Cartel marijuana grows are becoming more frequent in southern Oregon. In the last few years Jackson and Josephine Counties have experienced a large increase in the number of these types of grows and Douglas County has also had several in the past few years.

Forest workers and members of the public who are out recreating in the remote areas, are asked to be alert and report suspicious activity.

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