Washington ..State

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by ghostrider, Feb 17, 2006.


  1. ghostrider

    ghostrider Resident Poltergeist Founding Member

    Washington Cops Seize $270M in Pot Plants

    Washington Cops Seize $270M in Pot Plants
    Friday, February 17, 2006

    SPOKANE, Wash — Law enforcement officers harvested a dubious record last year — enough marijuana plants to rank the illegal weed as Washington state's No. 8 agricultural commodity, edging out sweet cherries in value.

    The 135,323 marijuana plants seized in 2005 were estimated to be worth $270 million — a record amount that places the crop among the state's top 10 agricultural commodities, based on the most recent statistics available.

    "We're struck by the amount of work they put into it," said Rich Wiley, who heads the Washington State Patrol narcotics program. "It's very labor intensive. They often run individual drip lines to each plant, and are out there fertilizing them."

    The net results have a tremendous payoff to illegal growers, said Wiley, who coordinates pot busts with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and local law enforcement agencies. A single plant can produce as much as a pound of processed marijuana, worth an estimated $2,000, he said.

    The estimated $270 million value of the plants seized in 2005 ranked just above sweet cherries, which were valued at $242 million in 2004, and just below the $329 million the state's nurseries and greenhouses produced. Apples are the state's No. 1 agricultural commodity, bringing $962.5 million in 2004.


    This is the seventh year in a row that record numbers of marijuana plants have been seized and destroyed statewide, the State Patrol said. The state's known pot harvest, based on seizures, went from 66,521 plants in 2003 to 132,941 in 2004, then to 135,323 last year.

    Most of the growing operations were in eastern Washington, principally outdoors on federal or state land in remote locations near a source of water, the State Patrol said.

    In recent years, marijuana crops have been larger and more sophisticated than in the past, law enforcement spokesmen said.

    Douglas County sheriff's Chief Criminal Deputy Robbin Wagg said while some "mom and pop" crops of 500 or fewer plants are still being found, most are larger and more sophisticated, with as many as 10,000 plants being irrigated and tended.

    Marijuana eradication efforts have been hampered by cutbacks in Air National Guard budgets and personnel have been assigned to tasks related to the Iraq war, Wagg said. National Guard helicopters are the most productive way to spot marijuana patches in the county's remote fields and draws, he said.

    "We used to get three or four days of flying time. Now, it's one to 1 1/2 days," he said. "They do a great job for us."

    Wiley said last year, three National Guard helicopters and three provided by the DEA flew for a month during the marijuana harvest season in late summer, before they were assigned to Hurricane Katrina duties. About 80 percent of the finds are made from the air, he said.

    Facing their own budget restrictions, law enforcement agencies in north-central Washington estimate they find perhaps half of the pot being grown illegally.

    "We get half if we're lucky and good," Wagg said.
     
  2. Galactus

    Galactus Monkey+++ Founding Member

    Of course many people in WA state grow pot; I know I would have to be high to live in that cold wet state.
     
  3. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    That is west of the Cascades. Not nearly the same around the tricities area. Dry is the word, and it doesn't snow much in that part. Now, up around Spokane, that's a third story. Buy a new deck, I think you are a couple cards short. ;)
     
  4. E.L.

    E.L. Moderator of Lead Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    [melbo] :D [bedtime]
     
  5. Quigley_Sharps

    Quigley_Sharps The Badministrator Administrator Founding Member

    100+ degs in the summer
     
  6. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yeah, but it is DRY. You don't even know when you are about to go out on hi temp in the brain box. Loved it when we lived there. Transferred out just before WPPSS crashed and abandoned the nukes and property values went off the edge. [beer]
     
  7. ColtCarbine

    ColtCarbine Monkey+++ Founding Member

    I wish the bleeding heart liberals felt the same way and would stay way from the NW.

    [hissyfit] [stoner]
     
  8. CRC

    CRC Survivor of Tidal Waves | RIP 7-24-2015 Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Holy Crap...


    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11404762/

    Weed and weep! Wash. state’s dubious record
    Marijuana ranks as 8th-largest crop, edging out sweet cherries

    (PHOTO)
    Law enforcement agents carry bundles of marijuana plants out after clearing a patch of the plant from national forest land near Entiant, Wash., on Sept. 20, 2005.
    View related photos
    Elaine Thompson / AP file

    Updated: 12:17 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2006

    SPOKANE, Wash. - Law enforcement officers harvested a dubious record last year — enough marijuana plants to rank the illegal weed as Washington state’s No. 8 agricultural commodity, edging out sweet cherries in value.

    The 135,323 marijuana plants seized in 2005 were estimated to be worth $270 million — a record amount that places the crop among the state’s top 10 agricultural commodities, based on the most recent statistics available.

    “We’re struck by the amount of work they put into it,” said Rich Wiley, who heads the Washington State Patrol narcotics program. “It’s very labor intensive. They often run individual drip lines to each plant, and are out there fertilizing them.”

    The net results have a tremendous payoff to illegal growers, said Wiley, who coordinates pot busts with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and local law enforcement agencies. A single plant can produce as much as a pound of processed marijuana, worth an estimated $2,000, he said.

    The estimated $270 million value of the plants seized in 2005 ranked just above sweet cherries, which were valued at $242 million in 2004, and just below the $329 million the state’s nurseries and greenhouses produced. Apples are the state’s No. 1 agricultural commodity, bringing $962.5 million in 2004.

    Seven years of growth
    This is the seventh year in a row that record numbers of marijuana plants have been seized and destroyed statewide, the State Patrol said. The state’s known pot harvest, based on seizures, went from 66,521 plants in 2003 to 132,941 in 2004, then to 135,323 last year.

    Most of the growing operations were in eastern Washington, principally outdoors on federal or state land in remote locations near a source of water, the State Patrol said.

    In recent years, marijuana crops have been larger and more sophisticated than in the past, law enforcement spokesmen said.

    Douglas County sheriff’s Chief Criminal Deputy Robbin Wagg said while some “mom and pop” crops of 500 or fewer plants are still being found, most are larger and more sophisticated, with as many as 10,000 plants being irrigated and tended.

    Iraq war means cutbacks
    Marijuana eradication efforts have been hampered by cutbacks in Air National Guard budgets and personnel have been assigned to tasks related to the Iraq war, Wagg said. National Guard helicopters are the most productive way to spot marijuana patches in the county’s remote fields and draws, he said.

    “We used to get three or four days of flying time. Now, it’s one to 1½ days,” he said. “They do a great job for us.”

    Wiley said last year, three National Guard helicopters and three provided by the DEA flew for a month during the marijuana harvest season in late summer, before they were assigned to Hurricane Katrina duties. About 80 percent of the finds are made from the air, he said.

    Facing their own budget restrictions, law enforcement agencies in north-central Washington estimate they find perhaps half of the pot being grown illegally.

    “We get half if we’re lucky and good,” Wagg said.
     
  9. ghostrider

    ghostrider Resident Poltergeist Founding Member

  10. CRC

    CRC Survivor of Tidal Waves | RIP 7-24-2015 Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Well...Thanks ghost....







    I guess I just don't point out when people post the same thing I do......but it's happened...

    Next time I'll make sure to read everything....sorry...
     
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