$15 million of marijuana removed

EPHRATA - Using conservative standards for plant production and pricing, the Grant County Sheriff's Office reports the destruction of $15 million worth of marijuana in the county this year.

According to Sheriff Tom Jones, participation in the Cannabis Eradication Response Team (CERT) program led to more than 8.5 tons of marijuana seized and removed from Grant County prior to production, consumption or export.

This is the GCSO's sixth year of participation in the program. Detectives from the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (INET) assisted the program with investigative efforts, training, and other support.

Grant County continues to be a leader in marijuana grows.

It finished second in Washington State behind Yakima County with over 35,000 plants located and destroyed.

This represents a nearly 15,000 plant increase over last year's total. More than 180,000 plants were destroyed statewide this year, down from a high of more than 600,000 plants in 2009.

The CERT is an annual effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Justice and Washington State Patrol to eradicate marijuana grown illegally outdoors throughout the state. According to Jones, these grow operations are commonly found to be organized by Mexican-national drug cartels.

- Staff report