Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) 2019: A Look at What Happened This Year
Footage from the 2019 CAMP season
Press release from the California Department of Justice:
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest of 148 individuals as part of the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) Program, the nation’s largest illegal marijuana eradication program. This year, CAMP eradicated 953,459 marijuana plants from 345 raided grow sites across the state. A total of 168 weapons were seized throughout the raids.
“Illegal cannabis grows are devastating our communities. Criminals who disregard life, poison our waters, damage our public lands, and weaponize the illegal cannabis black market will be brought to justice,” said Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “This year, our CAMP teams worked tirelessly across the state to vigorously enforce California’s laws against illegal cannabis activity. The California Department of Justice is extremely proud of our partnership with federal, state, and local agencies and we look forward to continuing this necessary work.”
“Combating illegal marijuana cultivation takes dedication, teamwork, perseverance and courage,” said David Bess, Deputy Director and Chief of the Law Enforcement Division for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“I’m immensely proud of the work we accomplished during the year with our county, state and federal partners. Together, we are protecting California’s natural resources and providing another measure of public safety.”
“USDA Forest Service law enforcement in California commend the collaboration and continuing efforts of our task force of partners in the yearly fight against illegal marijuana grows on public lands. This multi-faceted team approach is how we stay successful in mitigating these trespassers and the harmful destruction they intend on our land, water, wildlife and communities,” said Don Hoang, Special Agent in Charge of United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region.
“CAMP’s joint law enforcement efforts provide an opportunity for a stronger state-federal partnership against the illegal cultivation of marijuana. Together, we share a common goal – to improve public safety and protect our nation’s important natural and cultural resources on public lands,” said Joe Stout, Acting California State Director, Bureau of Land Management.
“We are proud to partner with our local, state, and federal partners in the CAMP program, which not only helps disrupt illegal activity, but assists in safeguarding natural resources and the environment,” said William D. Bodner, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration. “CAMP provides rotary wing assets and personnel to assist DEA in the eradication of illegal marijuana grows on federal lands.”
“Although cannabis has been legalized for use in California, there is still a large unlicensed black market,” said Robert Paoletti, Coordinator Colonel, California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. “Our participation works to prevent this illegal market in order to promote a fair market place for those growers, producers, and vendors who choose to operate within the system that the voters approved.”
The CAMP operations were led by the California Department of Justice and included local, state, and federal agencies.
Agents were divided into three teams that encompass the Northern, Central and Southern California regions, with teams covering 35 counties in the state.
Throughout the course of this year’s operations, CAMP teams protected public resources against misuse and safeguarded public land and water from illegal pesticides. This year, agents assisted in serving over 120 search warrants in the growing black market of illegal cannabis cultivation on public lands. The sites, loaded with trash, banned pesticides such as carbofuran, methyl parathion, aluminum phosphate, and illegal fertilizers, discharge large quantities of these harmful products into the waterways of California. Agents shut down these illegal grow sites, shielded the public from harmful chemicals, and disrupted dangerous criminal activity.
The 2019 CAMP operations count on multi-agency collaboration between the California Department of Justice, the United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Forest Service, the United States Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the United States Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration, the California National Guard, the California Bureau of Land Management, and the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, and other local law enforcement departments.
Footage, photos, and graphics of the 2019 CAMP operations are available for use at the following links: Footage, Photos, Video and Photo Descriptions, and Graphic.
“I’m immensely proud of the work we accomplished during the year with our county, state and federal partners. Together, we are protecting California’s natural resources and providing another measure of public safety.”
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Equals about 250,000 tons of opportunity available.
I’ve never seen a bigger waste of money in my whole life those eradicaters look ridiculous loading those plants for a freaking helicopter to take out . They look all cute strapped to each other like that and grouped up on a mountain ridge . So lame. Worst crimes taking place to focus on .
Exactly!! And all that trash? Sheesh, just leave it there!! It adds to the ambiance !! Just think, a raccoon could use some of that plastic in his home and who knows, some of the poisonous pesticides could actually help wildlife rid themselves of fleas and such. Garbage can be useful!! I can’t believe my tax dollars are wasted on such trivial pursuits when they are better spent subsidizing corporations. I’m writing my congressman to complain today!!
According to the AP these were 1# plants:
“LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities seized more than $1.5 billion worth of illegally grown marijuana plants in California this year — an amount an industry expert said is roughly equal to the state’s entire legal market — as part of an annual eradication program, officials said Monday.
“The raids netted more than 950,000 plants from nearly 350 growing operation sites this year through the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting program, an effort known as CAMP that dates to 1983 and is considered the nation’s largest illegal marijuana eradication program.
“Authorities could not estimate a street value of the plants seized and based their figures on wholesale prices of $1,600 per plant. But Jerred Kiloh, president of the United Cannabis Business Association, said wholesale costs are doubled for the retail market — meaning the enforcement operation netted more than $3 billion worth of illegally grown marijuana plants.”
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-news/2019/11/california-illegal-pot-seizures-top-1-5-billion-in-value/
I think Jerred just admitted to purchasing of illegal marijuana for the retail (can only be legal) market. Anyone got Mr Kiloh’s (cool last name even cooler if he is Columbian or if his first name was Justin) cell?
Sounds like they managed to keep the prices up for everyone else aside from that they accomplished absolutely nothing
They accomplished ONE Thing with excellence, the WASTING of Taxpayer $$, on fuel & wages etc on something that more times than not, was harming No One!!!! They usually made a bigger Mess than the one they were supposed to cleaning up!!!
So getting rid of grows on public lands that are contaminating water, soil and wildlife that hunters, tribes and the public enjoy, use and depend on is a waste of taxpayer money? Well go enjoy your nesle water from Fresno and your steak from a feed lot [edit]!
Only 35% of the sites they raided were on public land.
👍
🕯🌳What no Mexican Cartel? I’m ashamed. 🖖🇺🇸
Soon we will be blaming the homeless and destitute for most of our problems. Including the plague and other such diseases. The slaughter of anyone that gets in the way of your government the military industrial complex and those that are in their Club. While they can pollute as much as they want Monsanto and big oil Federal reserve’s and the World bank’s and all those that are connected. Stealing the wealth assets and resources marijuana has become big money in the stock markets. They will try to exterminate the free Market that the people have built. Creating more division and taking more of the wealth away from the people.
Yes this is the murderer in the street. The rich get richer the victim’s well be the led to slaughter
Hey mexi-car I agree with what you say. More specifically the illegal,immoral,and hella toxic spraying 24/7 of nano particulate that’s killing everything globally.
disgusting behavior
Damn those growers anyway…
Took 10,000,000 plants in Kern County worth a billion dollars, in a single raid, according to reports.
I wonder how anyone can make money, with this much weight available, and if this much is eradicated, how much actual weight is growing?
Kern County grow was a hemplike plant not technically marijuana but a tad bit stronger then hemp. Same as the huge grows busted in San Luis Obispo they make oil, edibles, creams and filler for pre rolls. I call It corporate cannahay cause they are trying to grow It like wheat or straw.
It takes 4 to 6 pounds of good weed to make a pound of oil. The bust in Kern was not good weed, so, like 10 to 20 pounds to make a pound of oil. The oil still needs to be refined though and they lose another 10 to 20% for every refinement. Vapes pens as an example require at a minimum 2 refinements. So basically they need to grow a shitload of this franken weed to get a pound of final product.
Oh and you are right they are not making money. The busts you mention have been supplying these corporate cannabis manufacturers. None of this impacts well grown Humboldt weed.
https://marketrealist.com/2019/11/hexo-legal-cannabis-might-not-kill-illegal-market/
The term you are looking for is CBD. It is medicinal not so much for getting high.
No such thing as a CBD plant, technically they are growing ruderalis. Recently corporate backed humans say CBD cause they cannot properly enunciate the word cannibinoid. Also, based upon current limited research the results suggest cannabinoids (what you call CBD) works in conjunction with THC to provide a medicinal benefit. Using only cannabinoids has resulted in little to no effect of medicinal value more of a placebo.
full spectrum lettuce my friend.
free the lettuce
eugenics. …for plants. …
“This year, agents assisted in serving over 120 search warrants in the growing black market of illegal cannabis cultivation on public lands.”
Didnt know a warrant was needed for public lands. Pretty sure not.
This article really stretches the info to fit a certain narrative. I guess if they call it like it is, there probably wont be much public support.
I’m all for eradication on public lands. Using that as a cover to eradicate on private lands I’m not down with.
Also ridiculous how there were convoys all summer but now that home invasions are on the rise, all the sudden every dept is short staffed.
Please note: this is not an article. It is a press release from a government agency with an agenda.
My mistake…..noted
I love in every “raid” article there are pictures of trash strewn everywhere, when everyone should know, that is the raiding party doing so, they are going through the trash to find any evidence of further “criminal activity.” Then they don’t clean it up and take pictures saying “look at the garbage” when it was probably in a pile of bags. And just a picture of propane tanks? What’s so bad about that? (Maybe I don’t know) but I’m not saying the garbage is ok and yeah sometimes they don’t trek it out, but just the pictures of it all over the floor is almost funny cause it’s them “staging” the environmental damage just a little more.
LOL, you actually think they put the trash in bags. Go to AP one day, take a walk by the river.
those mexican grows definitely dont have trash strewn all over, its too visible from the air and a sure way to get your garden spotted
As soon as they are done, though, I guarantee you they are not going to the recycling center with their trash. As I said, go take a walk by the river in AP, and then try to tell me it’s not a problem.
Wow, you obviously have NEVER been to one of these grows. When you finally smell and see 500-1,000lbs of trash strewn on a forest floor, then please come back and chime in.
ive seen many of them and never witnessed what youre talking about unless it was abandoned
You’d sing a different tune if the river was your only source of water. Good riddance to those who pollute our environment. How much money do you really need? It all comes down to GREED!
If rivers were our only source of drinking water, we would be more worried about what big ag is doing to our rivers., legally. Fyi the permitted farms have just as much run-off.
If they were worried about the environment they would have been enforcing their environmental laws all along. They could give a shit. They want to continue prohibition and hang all commando style out the side of the helicopters with ak47s.
What a waste of money flying plants out of the woods with nexts and helicopters.. Fucking leave it dead on the ground.. These guys must feel awesome in their miltary gear cutting weed plants
You guys are so cool!
/”These guys must feel awesome in their military gear cutting weed plants. You guys are so cool!”/
~i always think this same thing. Imagine when these guys get to the Pearly Gate and St. Peter asks them what they did with their life to aid their ailing society? “Well, um, we destroyed hemp plants that may not save the world, but it’s the only thing that can.” As the floor door opens and they drop to hell. (just sayin..could be)
Cannabis is legal.
shoe box, moon pie, band aids
It’s also legal to drive an automobile if you get a license and follow the traffic laws. Pretty simple.
Ya but the driving laws don’t change with the wind while your driving.
Boom!!! (mic drop)
Sovereigns have un-a-LIEN-able rights. Citizens have corporate governmental privileges (sign here $$$).
Cattle “Drive” mooooo.
Grows on national forest land SUCK! When people trash the woods and use dangerous chemicals and kill the wild life for profit.. they SUCK! Unfortunately, I have a feeling they are only showing some of the worst grows. I doubt they will show the Nice Earthy Organic Hippy Garden or Homestead they tore up! I Total get that things are changing, legalization is a part of the new paradigm… but, this ‘Camp Pain’ of madness on the small lower impact grows has got to end.. ridiculous!
Staggering
Does anyone have the stats for previous crusades…. I mean campaigns. …?
From:
https://www.canorml.org/judicial/camp-campaign-against-marijuana-planting/
This year’s CAMP activities represent an increase from last year’s reported take of some 600K plants. It’s not as high was 2017’s reported take of 1,260,000 plants or 2016’s over 1.5 million claim.
CAMP hit its peak in 2009, when nearly 4.5 million plants were reportedly taken out. The program was ended around 2012 under Brown’s administration, but by 2015 it was back, with a reported take of 832,085 plants.
Meanwhile, the Feds have also been taking plants out of California, both indoor and outdoor, through DEA’s suppression program. The last figures for that are from 2018, where 1.8 million plants were reported taken, also down from 3.8 million in 2016 and a reported 7.5 million in 2009.
Now if I can find the annual budget for the CAMP program…. those numbers would be interesting in the $$$/plant ratio.
“In 2011, CAMP eradicated about 2 million plants in California, 63 percent taken from state, federal and county properties, and the program cost about $1.9 million, according to the state department of justice.
“The numbers were down from 2010, when more than 4 million plants were eradicated and the program cost $2.25 million.”
I’m willing to bet this year’s operation cost twice as much.
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2318066-181/annual-pot-eradication-program-scaled
In 1996 the budget was $480,000 to “eradicate” 94k plants over 9 weeks (pdf):
https://library.humboldt.edu/humco/holdings/CAMP/CAMP1996.pdf
Thanks Ullr, good info. Do these plant counts also reflect what has been taken by fish and game? Have you ever wondered, if Camp plants the plants in the woods so they could look busy? Lol kidding..
Hey did anyone experience national guard out here? Thought they were supposed to be all on our shit…
this article is proof the gov lies straight to are faces. Love the wording. So when are they going after craigslist for selling things without a Cali tax on it? Is that bad for the environment too?
politician interrupted
California is the laughing stock of the this country, everyone is too busy trying to impeach a president instead of working on California. I’m embarrassed to call myself a Californian American anymore. This state does not care about Americans, or they would listen to us. It a crime to use environmental jargon to create a crime that is not real but sounds real. Camp makes it sound like we are using planes to pray our crops, pouring massive amounts of fertilizer( that cost money) on our plants, and waisting Water when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. The gov is not here to help but to scare the middle class back to work.
be proud JC, you are the Californian the US warned us about.
GOOD JOB! Get legal or gtfo!
Phukk Legal.
how them boots taste? the USA was formed to escape treasonous taxes, the boston tea party was over a 3% tax, cannabis farmers are taxed at 70%!!!!!
Corporate and government overlords are ruining the country.
Socialism is destroying our population.
Depriving us of our independence.
This is our republic not a democracy.
Recognize.
This calls for a second post of our State flag.
Capitalism is destroying our population.
~i’m goimg w/aliminum and Glyphosate, oxygen at only 18% Now, vaccines, and Wild, Wild, Fire in the Wild Wild West.
“Corporatism” is destroying our population.
Corporations exist as a legal fiction under government charter.
Capitalism has helped more people than any other system implemented by humans. Capitalism is simply a free exchange of goods and services between free people. Anything other than that is a perversion.
What makes this most Orwellian for me is the state circling the wagons with the feds whom it otherwise mostly hates.
The feds say no weed’s legal.
The state says only permitted weed’s legal, follow the rules, hippie!
Becerra talking about people who “choose” to follow the voter-approved rules.
Yet never any mention that Prop 64 was a bald attempt to shut down thousands of producers in unfriendly counties. For people in Butte, Tehama, Shasta, and other parts of the Northstate, there has never been a path to licensure for outdoor growing.
It’s pretty gross that the state pretends these people, faced with losing their livelihood, are “choosing” to break the rules.
Agreed Matthew,
Sometimes I feel as though we’re being herded like a band of Nevada Mustangs. Nobody wants us but, everybody loves us. Round us up and dispose of. Some are sold for the market but, most are fed to petfood manufacturers.
What choice do we have but to be outside of the law? The law is entirely rigged and weaponized against free and healthy people. Survival is paramount with or without the good graces of law.
~as i’ve stated before, i do not have a Commercial State-Owned identi-diction card. I do not REGISter my transportation carriage. I do not drive in for-profit-commerce (taxis, buses, trucks), on the FREEways, or any public road. I ***travel*** as is my birthright in the pursuit of happiness.
Am i living “outside the law”? No. We share a common perception of law -one of morality – intangible. T.H.E.Y.want us to follow the Letter of the Law, but, we’re spiritual beings experiencing a physical sojourn, who follow the Spirit of the Law. If you’re referencing Codes (secret), Rules and Regulations – you know, you’ll have to point this out to me in the Law of the Land. I don’t recognize Oz.
Sometimes I drive in parkways and sometimes I park in driveways.
It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world.
~oh, ha ha.
great movie btw
prop64 is a scam
Yes, $64 is a scam, and then some, it’s destructive.
This Camp Group is a Federally supported squad of trained killers. Their numbers are huge in relation to their mission. They operate under military strategy whereby overwhelm with force and create death or surrender. Definitely not the way America nor California should be governed.
$64 stepped-up the level of gross leadership in this transition phase. It’s like shooting corralled wild horses simply because some ugly people can’t earn their own daily bread in a peaceful manner.
“Our participation works to prevent this illegal market in order to promote a fair market place for those growers, producers, and vendors who choose to operate within the system that the voters approved.”….and these growers, producers and vendors are paying fess that are used for the eradication program. Yes- if you have a permit or buy dispensary weed then YOU are paying for CAMP! Thanks a lot! You certainly are somebody special…In other news Mendocino County is looking into hiring the same software/satellite system as Humboldt so they can start an abatement process similar to Humboldt. Yielding to backroom pressure from FloKana (ie. Philip Morris) to protect the “legal” market Mendocino County Board of Supervisors have voted to research the idea further. Up to this point Mendocino County Planning Department has relied upon a complaint-driven process- like Humboldt County used to have….Make no mistake about it- we are heading into a prolonged battle against corporatism. And they have turned many of our neighbors into tools of the state.
~only We, the People, can save America. I can’t see things changing in favor of the “come over here lil farmer, we aren’t gonna hurt you” growers (i love this line from SF). What’s the ol saying? ***United We Stand***
The permit/adhesion contract holders will be few and far between to stand. Those who do, showers of blessings. Exit the Matrix.
The Goo-Ghoul Earth shots are what is termed “a Takings” as per the Supreme Law of the Land. Focus on one subject for unification. Hard choice -there’s so many. But the Takings Clause of the Fifth is what i would stand on . . . iff i was a Home Rule grower.
The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, Chicago, B.&Q. R.Co. v. Chicago, 166 U.S. 226 (1897), prohibits the government from taking private property for public use without just compensation. In Pennsylvania Coal Co. v. Mahon, 260 U.S. 393 (1922), Justice Holmes well-known formulation; while property may be regulated to a certain extent, if a regulation goes too far it will be recognized as a taking. (To quote Justice Stevens) It is wrong for the government to take property, even for public use, without tendering just compensation The Supreme Court ruled over 100 years ago that it is wrong for government to steal. If the restriction is not listed in the Deed, the city or county cannot come in AFTER the fact and say it’s restricted, even if the restriction occurred before the property was purchased. If the city did not reimburse the FORMER owner for the regulatory taking, it cannot get away with failing to reimburse the PRESENT owner. That is FRAUD. If it isn’t listed in the Deed, IT IS NOT RESTRICTED. And if the city or county still wants to impose any restriction, they have to lawfully acquire the property by justly compensating the owner —buying the land.
People v. Camacho, 23 Cal.4th 824; 98 Cal.Rptr.2d 232; 3 P.3d 878 (2000): Police observation from non-public area constitutes unlawful search. The County is liable for Fourth Amendment violations, and has no immunity when its employees trespass upon areas that members of the public cannot be said to have been implicitly invited. No such implicit public invitation exists in a side yard, back yard, or neighbor’s yard for county employees or anybody else to conduct invasion of privacy and/or pre-textual search without probable cause, to inventory livestock or other property by peeking over or through fences, even chain-link fences, which are there to exclude the eyes of strangers and trespassers. (Goo-Ghoul PUBLIC used to spy on the ‘private’ people is unconstitutional)
wow… that one picture with all the trash in the bag…. these damned pot growers
Dpfw is a armed miltia the head of the organization is invested in the industry at this napa properties. They are gangsta just approved by the government the other gangster’s. Every man for himself mentality will ruin us all.
Every man for himself is not our natural state of being -and that’s a good thing.
Totally Truth! The only place they have to expand in Napa, is into the last remaining Oak Savana! I actually can’t imagine growing any good cannabis in Napa, actually. The Powder mold, and catapillers from the grapes are extremely resistant, and I do not actually see Organic Cannabis actually growing well in Napa. Some Canna farmers who live next to Vineyards explained to me that they do what ever it is the Vineyards do.. which is not good. The Vinyards use a crap ton of Eagle 40, and Round-Up, Eagle 40 does not just wash off. Round-up is water soluble and ends up in the water sheds!
Plus, like in Santa Barbra, some Canno fields are having to implement this new technology of odor control at a cost of $45,000-$75000 annually, just for the odor control substance, and another $75,000 for the equipment..
Have ya-all signed your recall Newsom slips and turned them in ??? It starts here change only comes through individual action,combine many individuals and you have change.we only got till February to get him out for a shot at retaining our freedom and dignity so take a few moments outta your busy life and download/print and send your slip in to a Republican headquarters nearest you. Our water,our 2nd amendment ,our democracy(because we voted on the death penalty) our property rights,military terrorism in northern California the list goes on and on.this guy is an enamy of the people!!!
Definitely! Slipping into the Republican headquarters sounds soo foreign to me.. lol. But totally. Newsome is a POS and needs to GO! Hear, Hear!
Couldn’t agree more!
Seriously who writes this bullshit!!!Camp is the good guys protecting us from ourselves.It’s truly a pants load.This is how communism starts,government control and forced regulation. But it’s for our own good they say!!!
This article about the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) in 2019 really shows the dedication of law enforcement to keep our communities safe. It’s shocking to learn about the massive number of illegal marijuana plants seized and the weapons confiscated during these raids. The efforts of Attorney General Xavier Becerra and his team, along with federal, state, and local agencies, highlight the importance of enforcing laws against illegal cannabis activity. This article has helped me realize the serious consequences of illegal marijuana cultivation, including environmental damage and threats to public safety. It’s reassuring to know that there are people working tirelessly to combat these issues and protect our communities. Great job on shedding light on this important topic!