A WEEK LONG MONTEREY COUNTY DRUG OPERATION TARGETED THE LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST LAST WEEK. MONTEREY COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT, AIDED BY STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES CONDUCTED OPERATION CLEAN FOREST; SHUTTING DOWN 6 ILLEGAL GROWS, NETTING 35-THOUSAND POT PLANTS VALUED AT 70-MILLION DOLLARS. 4 SUSPECTS WERE ARRESTED BY AGENTS WHICH HAD TO BE DROPPED BY HELICOPTER INTO THE REMOTE SITES. THE GROWS ARE BELIEVED TO THE WORK OF MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS. OFFICIALS SAY THAT AROUND A HALF TON OF DEBRIS AND FERTILIZER WERE ALSO REMOVED.
