Sheriff: Pot bust may be state’s biggest

Federal, state and local law enforcement officers have raided a large and sophisticated marijuana growing operation on state land in the mountains of southwestern Idaho. No arrests have been made.

Caribou County Sheriff Ric Anderson says there were well over 10,000 marijuana plants, possibly worth more than $20 million, in a series of grow operations. He says it is one of the largest marijuana busts in state history.

“If it’s not the largest bust in Idaho history, it’ll be right up there at the top,” said Anderson.

The operation was discovered Thursday and is part of a larger investigation involving multiple agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration. State and federal drug agencies, sheriff’s personnel from several counties, the Idaho State Police and the Bureau of Land Management raided the grow site Tuesday.
The remote site is only accessible by foot or all-terrain vehicle. The Idaho State Journal reports Black Hawk helicopters were used to airlift the mostly 6- and 7-foot tall plants to an area closer to Grace, where they were being loaded into dump trucks.

Photos and more details will be given at a news conference Wednesday morning.