National Guard Air Lifts Marijuana During Another Major Bust

Colorado authorities have harvested yet another marijuana growing operation on state land, after hunters stumbled upon pot growing on Division of Wildlife land near Golden Gate State Park in Jefferson County.

According to KDVR the West Metro Drug Task Force and Division of Wildlife removed over 1,000 plants from the park on Tuesday, estimated to be worth $500,000.

KDVR reports:

No suspects were located. However, authorities found a makeshift camp equipped with food, clothing, sleeping bags and other household items indicating the grower had been squatting on the mountainside.

Westword reports:

Task Force members along with personnel from the Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks spent several hours collecting the marijuana....Task Force members received air assistance from a Black Hawk helicopter flown by the Colorado Air National Guard. The helicopter was used to lift large bundles of marijuana out of the rugged terrain to a location where it could be loaded into vehicles for removal.

Jefferson County officials are no strangers to grow operations, this is the fourth to be found in unincorporated JeffCo this summer.

This summer officials found what is believed to be the largest marijuana growing operation in Colorado history in Pike National Forest with 14,500 live plants worth about $2.5 million.

In August KRDO reported:

The marijuana was being grown in the remote, rugged terrain of the Pike National Forest near Deckers, Colorado. As agents advanced on the grow site, an estimated seven to ten individuals were seen running from the area. Their sleeping bags and food items were recovered at the site.

Information developed during the investigation determined that Mexican migrant workers had been recruited from outside the state of Colorado to harvest the marijuana plants, which were found to be between four to six feet tall.

Below are pictures of this "growing" problem Colorado seems to be facing.

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