Ventura County eradicates record amount of marijuana

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) -- Ventura County officials released end-of-season totals Monday in its marijuana-eradication program.

A county record of 68,488 plants was eradicated in one day in the Pine Mountain area with the collaboration of more than 40 county sheriff's department, Oxnard police and county fire personnel on July 13.

In Sept., seven marijuana grow areas in the Los Padres National Forest were located and destroyed, resulting in the eradication of approximately 21,862 plants and seizure of 16 pounds of processed pot.

Over the eradication season, more than 153,000 plants were eradicated in the Los Padres Forest. That represents 27,000 more plants destroyed compared with 2010.

Twenty-two suspects were arrested in connection with the grow sites over the season.

The 2011 eradication season ended in October.

Authorities said at several grow locations, illegal pesticides were found. These pesticides and agriculture-related products are illegal in the U.S., and affect the surrounding land and downstream water fed by rivers and streams.

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