Attorney General Bill Lockyer Announces Campaign Against Marijuana Planting Program Breaks One Million Plant Barrier For The 2005 Season

Eradication Effort Shatters Previous Single-Season Record by 400,000 Plants

Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

(SACRAMENTO) – Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced the California Department of Justice’s Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program has eradicated more than one million illegal marijuana plants, shattering the previous single-season record by nearly 400,000 plants. The plants eradicated this year are worth an estimated $4 billion. Just one month ago, CAMP announced it had surpassed the prior single-season record of 621,315 plants set in 2004; and, with time still left in the 2005 season, the record number of illegal plant seizures this season will continue to grow.

A raid conducted Monday in Tulare County pushed the season plant-seizure total over the one million mark. So far this year, CAMP agents have eradicated 405 gardens, made 22 arrests and seized 58 weapons; in contrast to the 2004 season totals of 757 gardens, 41 arrests and 53 seized weapons.

CAMP agents are divided into five teams covering Northern, Central and Southern California regions. Headed by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, CAMP includes local, state and federal agencies that work to eradicate illegal indoor and outdoor marijuana cultivation and trafficking throughout California. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, California National Guard, California Department of Fish and Game and dozens of local police and sheriff departments from across the state participate in the program.

“CAMP is a leader in illegal marijuana eradication because of outstanding interagency cooperation, the leadership and support of the California Department of Justice and the dedication and effort of the men and women involved in the CAMP program,” said CAMP commander Michael Johnson.

The increase in CAMP seizures of illegal marijuana plants is generally attributed to more deployment teams throughout the state; more aggressive techniques, particularly aerial transportation of officers and surveillance; and larger garden sizes. In the 22-year history of the CAMP program leading up to this season, agents have eradicated over four million plants with an estimated wholesale value of more than $16 billion.

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