UPDATE: Multi-Agency Pot Raid at Lake Lagunitas

UPDATE:

5:36 p.m.

The Marin County Sheriff's Office began this year's outdoor marijuana eradication efforts this morning by destroying nearly 13,000 young plants, said Lt. Barry Heying.

The plants were found at five sites on the east slope of Bolinas Ridge that borders Kent Lake, said Heying, during an eradication effort that ended around 2 p.m.

The raiders also found living areas with lean-to tents, garbage and pesticides at the grow sites. No one was present in the camps and there were no arrests, Heying said.

The sheriff's office has been monitoring two-dozen known grow
sites in the area since 2006. But, this year, rather than wait until the plants were grown, 12,900 immature plants without marijuana buds were cut so they could not be planted again, saving the cost and effort of hauling them out by helicopter, Heying said.

Growers kept the gardens small and spread out, as more than one site was tended from one campsite. There were also several small spots with only 10 plants, Heying said. 

In 2009, the California Campaign Against Marijuana Planting seized
4.5 million marijuana plants in the state. Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma counties are typically among the top 10 counties where the seizures occur. Marin County was not among the top 40 counties in 2009.

- Bay City News 

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UPDATE:

12:42 p.m.

"The people responsible for these illegal grow sites have little regard for public safety nor do they have any concern for the damage they create," said Lt. Barry Heying with the Sheriff's Office in a written statement.

The raid operation, which began its coordination at 5:30 a.m., is nearing completion on several clandestine marijuana sites throughout the Mt. Tamalpais watershed, including near Kent Lake and Lake Lagunitas.

These types of sites result in erosion and the use of damaging chemicals in the watershed, as well as threaten the public safety of hikers and walkers in the area, said Heying.

Anyone with information about is encouraged to call the Sheriff's Office at 415-499-7233 or the anonymous tip line at the Bay Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

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UPDATE:

11:15 a.m.

According to Lt. Barry Heying, the operation is about half over and 3,031 plants have been eradicated. 

Heying also said the sites are discovered by rangers during the year and then raids, such as this one, are planned.

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10:45 a.m.

At 6:30 a.m. an operation involving 65 personnel from the Marin County Sheriff's Office, National Park Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and California Department of Justice began eradicating pot fields near Lake Lagunitas.

According to Lt. Barry Heying, the operation is still ongoing and is in the process of destroying several growing sites above Lake Lagunitas.

Along with the 65 offices, three helicopters are involved in the raid.

The operation began after a helicopter flying over the area this morning spotted plants growing in the Marin Municipal Water District watershed land.

A when $20 million in plants in three cultivation sites were destroyed in the area around Kent Lake.

Check back for updates later.