Rangers seize 12,451 marijuana plants in Yosemite's Merced River Canyon
Park rangers and sheriff's deputies eradicated three marijuana plantations in the Merced River Canyon on Yosemite's western boundary on 9-10 August 2006, seizing 12,451 plants valued at about $35.7 million. Two suspects fled the gardens and were not caught, and officers seized two firearms.
🇺🇸 Merced River Canyon, western boundary, Yosemite National Park · California, United States
Yosemite’s special response team and special agents joined officers from the US Forest Service, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Land Management and a CAMP eradication team to investigate and eradicate three marijuana plantations in the Merced River Canyon on the park’s western boundary on 9 and 10 August 2006.[1][2]The gardens had been spotted by park agents and sheriff’s deputies during reconnaissance flights with the California National Guard in July.[1]
The two raids netted 12,451 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of about $35,720,000.[1]Two of the gardens had suspects in them, but both eluded apprehension, and officers seized two firearms from the gardens.[1]Evidence collected in the gardens was expected to help curb international marijuana cultivation on public lands.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
California's Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force seized or destroyed 55,308 pounds of illicit cannabis and eradicated 108,226 plants between July and September 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom's office said. The quarter's operations across nine counties led to 14 arrests, nine firearms and $29,215 in cash, and brought the state's nine-month total to more than $230 million in cannabis.
Arrested 14Plants destroyed 108,226Cannabis 25.0873 t
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