Mexico Marijuana Plantation Reportedly Biggest Ever

By Lizbeth Diaz

SAN QUINTIN, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican soldiers discovered the biggest marijuana plantation ever found in the country in a remote desert surrounded by cactuses, a top army officer said on Thursday.

Soldiers patrolling the area found 300 acres of marijuana plants being tended by dozens of men this week, said General Alfonso Duarte.

He said the crop, which was found in the state of Baja California, about 200 miles/320 km south of San Diego, California, would have yielded about 120 tonnes and was worth about $160 million.

"This is the biggest marijuana plantation we have found in the country," Duarte said.

The plants will be destroyed, he said.

Most of the men tending the crop escaped capture but six suspects were arrested later at a military checkpoint.

The men had dug a well at the barren site and pumped water through hoses to irrigate the plants, which were up to 8 feet tall.

President Felipe Calderon has deployed tens of thousands of troops to the streets to take on powerful drug traffickers shortly after taking office in late 2006.

Violence has spiraled since then, with more than 40,000 people killed across Mexico, hurting support for Calderon's conservative National Action Party (PAN), which faces an uphill struggle to secure re-election next July.

Mexico is America's top supplier of marijuana and most cocaine consumed in the United States passes through Mexico.

(Writing by Jason Lange; Editing by Bill Trott)

Take a look at the plantation:

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Comments

[nikto]

03:04 PM on 08/25/2011

Most politicians and top law enforcement commanders who oppose cannabis legalization do so because THEY ARE EITHER DEPENDENT ON DRUG-WAR MONEYS FROM THE GOV'T, OR, JUST AS LIKELY, RECEIVE PAYMENTS FROM DRUG CARTELS.

If this truth was more widely-known, public support for the drug war would evaporate overnight.

Legalizing canabis would devastate the cartels' funding sources---THAT IS WHY THERE IS HIDDEN PRESSURE TO KEEP IT ILLEGAL AND EXPENSIVE!!

And our top officials are definitely acting in an obedient, cooperative, submissive way against the deadly cartels.

The cui bono is screamingly obvious.

[lexsird]

10:34 AM on 08/01/2011

I live in Iowa, and right smack dab in the middle of the meth problem. In fact, they shot a movie about it right where I live, it's called Iowa. I watched the movie and knew almost every spot they shot. Law enforcement here has managed to arrest some weed dealers, but fail to put a dent in the meth problem. To me, them messing with weed is insanity. It's like arresting jaywalkers when there is a bank robbery going on. To illustrate how dumb our law enforcement is, there was a meth lab and dealer right across the street from the probation office. They can't catch them when they are right under their noses. I have watched meth heads deal meth in a house across the street from the police station. Meth is rat poison for people. Weed is less harmful than booze by far, yet illegal? People get drunk here, then someone hands them some meth to smoke, and then their life is ruined. Weed people can't stand meth heads. I've known meth heads who want to stop, wish they had some weed to help curb the urge, but it's not to be found. There is only meth. My part of the state is dying from this. My county is the worse in the state for the problem. Corruption from the meth money has saturated all levels of our society. We are doomed here, a cautionary tale, learn from us please, before it's too late.

[dclintn648]

02:00 PM on 07/31/2011

The sad reality is that if more people were to smoke marijuana, there would be less violence in the world. Alcohol and many other drugs cause people to be MORE aggressive, but marijuana causes people to be LESS aggressive, and quite "peaceful".

Whenever I hear that someone has been aggressive, and they claim marijuana is involved, I call them out. I know from 40 years of experience that people become placid, lazy, mellow, peaceful, happy, giggly, silly and even withdrawn, but NEVER have I seen ANYONE become aggressive! It's just the opposite. Marijuana is the original peace pipe!

[dclintn648]

01:44 PM on 07/31/2011

Just another reason to hate conservatives... they are the ones who are making sure that while alcohol, one of the most dangerous, life-destroying drugs on the planet, is available EVERYWHERE, including corner stores, supermarkets and gas stations, while marijuana, a mild drug that has NEVER caused a SINGLE DEATH, is treated like heroin and other hard drugs.

It's just a self-serving, illogical and shameful display of HYPOCRISY!!!

[trainer3]

11:37 PM on 07/23/2011

What a great field of jobs could be created if it was legalized in each State. Unlike The Lottery, you actually get something for your money. I can understand the fight against meth, hard drugs. Maybe because I foolishly spent a lifetime's worth of savings once on them. But even that...That's a me thing, and if it is not underground, when a person wants to surrender to non-use, it should be a medical matter, regulated by the state.
No kids should smoke pot, they can prove that a brain is not formed until after 17 at least. But when I was 15, it was as exotic as firecrackers...pot. 5 bucks for a nickel. Underground. Now lawyers, accountants, salesmen, housewives, all responsible honest people....smoke high quality weed, in high quality vaporizers, after the kids are down, or when they want to relax or when they are so sick of that wheelchair that they need a buzz.... and go on with their lives.

I have a disease that is going to K*ll me. I know 2 republican women who moved to Cali just to not break the law. Please. I am a good person, I am a responsible person. Do something, Statesmen and women. Don't shock and shucks me with burn vids,... It's played.

[trainer3]

11:11 PM on 07/23/2011

"Careful men! If you begin to giggle, seek shelter from the smoke...and for G*$'s sake do not go home with the resin on your hands, rubbing them together to make a finger hash that will make you eat, have real-ations, and rent strange videos about Harold and Kumar at White Castle, for the sake of all that is wholly..."

Now spark up dis joint...

[OceanEric]

10:36 PM on 07/23/2011

According to Genesis (Old Testament), God gave man every seed-bearing herb. The arrogance of some people who would take away what God gave us. How bizarre! What a waste of time and energy. Amen

[ScratchHisSelf]

09:51 PM on 07/23/2011

could be your tax dollars at work... a tip from US satellite intel might have GPS'd it for FedMex.

[JasonJM]

09:39 PM on 07/23/2011

All you left pot heads must be crying in your lattes after reading this article

Heck you had to put down your edition The Communist Manifesto and get a recycled tissue.

[knbyt]

10:08 PM on 07/23/2011

chill out dude, that guy on your avatar grew a weed garden right outside of the white house.

[OceanEric]

10:29 PM on 07/23/2011

Repiblicans and other conservatives smoke pot as well. I'm sure most people know that.

[onemissourian]

12:04 AM on 07/24/2011

LOL AND THE DEMOCRATES DON'T INHALE, LOL . THE DEADHEADS ARE CRYING TONIGHT THERE GOES THE PRICE OF DOPE LIKE THE DEALERS STRUCK OIL

[lakerdansboyfrie]

08:55 PM on 07/23/2011

I don't smoke weed, but the way I see it, almost every single comment on here is to legalize this harmless product... whats the problem obama?

[OceanEric]

10:43 PM on 07/23/2011

Pharmaceuticak companies don't like the competition. Pharmaceutical companies invented heroin, cocaine, thalidomyde and all kinds of nasty stuff.

[dclintn648]

01:47 PM on 07/31/2011

I can understand President Obama not wanting to touch this issue with a 10-foot pole... you don't think for one minute that the conservative lynch mob wouldn't HOWL that the black man is trying to seduce their children into being drug addicts by legalizing DRUGS!!! WHAAAAAA....!!!

[Martin Forde]

08:04 PM on 07/23/2011

"Mexico is America's top supplier of marijuana" - Do you have an actual reference for this?

[Taymullah]

08:58 PM on 07/23/2011

Yea that is pretty dang far fetched if you ask me, they may import a lot but they do not supply us, hell most of us freaking supply ourselves these days.

[Brenda Wayne Wyatt]

04:37 PM on 07/23/2011

It should be legalized everywhere. Then the killings will stop.

[Celt Glen]

04:08 PM on 07/23/2011

"...300 acres of marijuana plants being tended by dozens of men..."

I see someone has jobs!

[capitalismsux]

03:53 PM on 07/23/2011

outdoor shmex...yuck

[Taymullah]

09:03 PM on 07/23/2011

Really? Did you really just say that? You can tell she are all high quality sativa doms. This is a high quality op and was likely producing top quality buds. Mexican "brick weed" while still in existence is not a money maker anymore and they know it.

Beautiful plants and the grow method was PERFECT for outdoor.. Outdoor produces mad weight and the quality is just as good as indoor. People who claim outdoor is crap..lol

I will always prefer to grow my sativa doms outside.. hell you know some of the nicest strains lately are crossed with ruderalis in which is where some autoflowering genetics are coming from.. ruderalis on its own is weak, but it has certain quality's and characteristics that breeders are discovering great value in.

[capitalismsux]

09:32 PM on 07/23/2011

I'm so sorry to have offended your marijuana sensibilities. I stand corrected. All apologies.

[Landin]

03:46 PM on 07/23/2011

What a waste! All we need to do is legalize it!