Up in smoke: Lockyer announces destruction
of 1.7 million marijuana plants

California Attorney Bill Lockyer
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Lara Moscrip, Bay City News Service

October 31, 2006

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer announced Monday that the state Department of Justice's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting set a new record with the seizure of nearly 1.7 million plants during the 2006 season.

The marijuana plants destroyed by CAMP in 2006 had an estimated street value of more than $6.7 billion, according to a statement by Lockyer's office.

"These record-breaking numbers reflect CAMP's continued, remarkable success in ridding California of illegal large-scale marijuana gardens," said Lockyer. "Our program serves as a model for all marijuana eradication programs. "

Several Bay Area communities made the list of counties in which illegal marijuana plants were seized.

Sonoma County had nearly 74,000 plants seized; Santa Clara County had nearly 53,000 plants seized; Napa County had slightly more than 31,300 plants seized; Monterey County had nearly 31,000 plants seized; Santa Cruz had nearly 13,000 plants seized, according to Lockyer.

This year, CAMP conducted 477 raids in 34 counties during the traditional growing season, which runs from late July through early October.

During the raids officers made 27 arrests and seized 29 weapons.

This season, 80 percent of the seized, illegal marijuana was located on public land, including state and national parks and forests. The remainder of the eradicated plants were discovered on private land, including ranches, vineyards and property owned by corporations, according to Lockyer.

Since the CAMP program began in 1983, agents have eradicated more than 6.9 million plants with an estimated street value of $27.6 billion, according to Lockyer.

According to Lockyer, marijuana plant seizures have increased over the past few years due to the deployment of more CAMP teams throughout the state, advancements in aerial surveillance techniques and transportation of officers and larger garden sizes.

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