Last week, officials dismantled a large illegal marijuana grow operation concealed deep within Sequoia National Park in California, removing thousands of plants and nearly a ton of hazardous waste that had damaged the wilderness.
The National Park Service (NPS) reported on Thursday that crews extracted 2,377 mature marijuana plants and approximately 2,000 pounds of trash and equipment from a site affecting about 13 acres of protected California parkland.
Much of the material was manually removed and airlifted by helicopter by NPS law enforcement rangers and Bureau of Land Management special agents.
Authorities noted that the operation showed signs of a sophisticated drug-trafficking network, a problem that has affected Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for nearly two decades. Over this period, officials have eradicated nearly 300,000 plants, valued at an estimated $850 million, from the two parks.