WHO'S BEHIND POT FARMING?

Once again, a huge haul of marijuana - as reported in the July 30 and
31 issues of the Record Searchlight. We're informed that some 300
employees from six counties confiscated nearly a half million plants
of harvestable marijuana. The statistics include 56 illegal pot
gardens, 22 miles of irrigation pipe, 32 weapons, 11 vehicles, 23
tons of trash, over 2,000 pounds of fertilizer and 57 pounds of
pesticide - apparently unused supplies.

To date nearly a half million plants (462,549) have been hauled in,
stated also as 1,500 pounds of marijuana. Some 100 people have been
arrested, though none were identified.

This is an enormous operation - taking place on federal land under
the watchful eye of Google Earth. How are we to understand that these
huge operations occur year after year? Hundreds of thousands of
taxpayer dollars spent on the removal of these operations - this year
called "Full Court Press."

What happened to the enormous reported quantity of the marijuana?
What happened to the trash, the extra supplies? How was this
operation carried off under the very noses of the "authorities"? Who
are the suppliers, the irrigation and maintenance team, the
enforcers? Who's looking the other way?

With pot shops on almost every corner around town, who's kidding whom?

Sandy McNamara, Redding