Drug efforts destroy $20 million of pot

- Staff report

Herald

More than 13,000 plants confiscated

EPHRATA - Law enforcement efforts found and destroyed 13,721 marijuana plants worth $20.6 million in Adams and Grant counties.

During four days in the month of August, helicopters supplied by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), airplanes from the Washington State Patrol and drug dogs from several law enforcement agencies were used to locate marijuana growing operations in central Washington, according to Grant County Undersheriff John Turley.

In Adams County, 2,257 marijuana plants worth $3.4 million were confiscated and destroyed, Turley stated.

In Grant County, 11,464 plants worth $17.2 million were destroyed, he added.

Despite the high numbers, Turley said there is less growing in the Columbia Basin than previously.

"This is a lot less than last year," he said.

No arrests were made during eradication efforts this year, Turley added.

Overall efforts to remove marijuana growing in the Columbia Basin is reaching 250,000 plants and throughout Eastern Washington, the pot destroyed is worth an estimated $375 million, Turley noted.