Pot bust nets two suspects

by David A. Cole<br>Herald Staff Writer
| September 13, 2005 9:00 PM

Detectives have been monitoring grow operation since July

BEVERLY — The Inter Agency Narcotics Enforcement Team arrested two male subjects about six miles east of Beverly near Lake Lenice. The two Mexican nationals were arrested and charged with cultivation of marijuana, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and alien in possession of a firearm, authorities said.

Felipe Cortes Barajas, 27, Beverly, was charged with cultivating marijuana. Barajas was previously arrested in 2004 on a charge of alien in possession of a firearm when he apparently used a .22 caliber rifle in a random shooting in Beverly.

Miguel Angel Gomez Cardenas, 28, also of Beverly, was charged with cultivating marijuana, possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of a firearm for having a fully loaded .32 caliber revolver, alien possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm that was found in his waistband, possession of a stolen firearm and no valid operator's license.

Gomez Cardenas has two aliases and a long criminal record in Grant County, according to the Grant County Sheriff's Office.

INET detectives arrested the two suspects while they were traveling a well worn path inside a 165 plant grow located in a thicket of Russian olive trees. The plants were originally found by detectives using an airplane on July 21. The grow contained small immature plants at that time. During the last week, however, authorities have been conducting about four to six hours of surveillance per day on the grow operation before they arrested the two suspects on Monday, said Chief Deputy Courtney Conklin.

Conklin said that about 20,000 plants have been seized by law enforcement officials in Grant County in 2005 and these are the first two arrests connected to marijuana grow operations.

He said there is no indication that the 165 plants seized in Monday's marijuana bust or the two suspects believed to be involved are tied to any of the previous pot fields found so far this year. There will be follow-up investigations, Conklin said.