🚀 go-pugleaf

--
Hanged in effigy at Brazoria for wanting peace with Mexico, these "tories"
were: Ira Lewis (1800-1867), Thomas Jefferson Chambers (1802-1865) and
Samuel May Williams (1795-1858).

"Frank Matthews" <MATTHEWS@MATH.CL.UH.EDU> wrote in message
news:3DFE928F.2020906@MATH.CL.UH.EDU...
> Look folks the concept of closing the border is a fantasy.  While it
> would help the steel mills can you imagine stringing barbed wire in our
> National Parks?  And how much are you willing to raise taxes to pay the
> couple of million federal workers needed to patrol?
>
> If you want control of illegal immigration you are going to have to get
> control of the jobs.  If the CEOs & CFOs of corporations were spending
> time in the slammer for conspiracy to get illegals hired by their
> contractors you might see some improvement.  Unless anyone hiring an
> illegal is at at least as much risk of time in the slammer as a drug
> dealer you will have folks coming across.  They aren't to blame the fat
> cats getting them for cheap workers are the cause.
>
> Frank Matthews
>

I suggest we send all employers found hiring illegal aliens on an all
expenses paid vacation to hike through our National Parks.

http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/foreign_drug_cartels_in_north_st.htm
      Foreign Drug Cartels in North State Increasing
      September 25, 2002

      By Barry R. Clausen - Daily News Correspondent

      Red Bluff Daily News

      Red Bluff, CA

      While environmentalists and the U.S. Forest Service concentrate on
shutting down our public lands to America's ranchers, farmers, miners and
recreational users, foreign drug cartels are using them for growing large
marijuana gardens.

      While not in the story, just yesterday there was an arrest of two
Asians marijuana growers while two others escaped in the Six Rivers National
Forest. Those arrested were armed. On the same day, in Humboldt County there
was an arrest of two Russians marijuana growers also carrying AK-47's.

      >From the Red Bluff Daily News Story.

      Bryan Roemeling of U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement &
Investigations in Washington D.C. states, "The dramatic increase in
marijuana production supported by Mexican Drug Trafficking Organizations
(DTOs) is alarming. It is primarily occurring in California but is not
limited there. We have indications that Mexican DTOs are operating in
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and as far away as Arkansas." He further
states: "The problem continues and is increasing. These illegal aliens
brought in to tend gardens are dangerous; they are armed and will protect
their gardens. The visiting public and Forest Service employees are at risk
in many areas of National Forest System lands in California. Evidenced by
the shooting of a father and son last year while on their property within
the boundaries of the Eldorado National Forest."

      Law enforcement express concern with safety on public lands.

      Going even farther, Bryan Roemeling of the U.S. Forest Service Law
Enforcement and Investigations in Washington D.C. states, "The dramatic
increase in marijuana production supported by Mexican Drug Trafficking
Organizations is alarming. It is primarily occurring in California but is
not limited there. We have indications that Mexican DTOs are operating in
Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and as far away as Arkansas." He further
states "...The problem continues and is increasing. These illegal aliens
brought in to tend gardens are dangerous; they are armed and will protect
their gardens. The visiting public and Forest Service employees are at risk
in many areas of National Forest System lands in California. Evidenced by
the shooting of a father and son last year while on their property within
the boundaries of the Eldorado National Forest."

      It was much easier to smuggle drugs into our country in the time
before 9/11. But with a tightening of our borders and continued pressure by
law enforcement to locate and seize illegal international drug traffic,
certain drug cartels are finding it safer and more profitable to send
foreign nations into America with the intent to set up drug operations in
our national forests.

      In recent weeks, a Tehama County deputy sheriff was shot by a Mexican
national during a marijuana growing operation raid, and Siskiyou County
sheriff's deputies conducted a raid that resulted in the arrest of three
nationals from a country in southeast Asia. Information has also surfaced
suggesting that some young Native American tribal members are also being
trained to grow marijuana on Sacred Tribal Lands. Many of the Asian and
Mexican nationals who are living and working marijuana grow operations are
connected to Asian and Hispanic drug cartels. According to Detective Mark
Merrill of the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Department, there are even
Hawaiians active within his county.

      The story is similar in all of the northern California counties
contacted. Shasta County has had five major raids so far this year. The
latest was Sept. 12 where Mexican nationals once again are the suspected
growers. Shasta Interagency Narcotics Task Force Commander Russ Reeves
refers to the groups involved in grow operations as "cells" because he said,
"Many of these foreigners that work the fields are so low in the scheme of
things they do not even know who they work for." He further stated that much
of the money obtained from marijuana growing is used to finance illegal
methamphetamine operations. Reeves went on to say, "These same meth
producers then ship their product to other states. We have been successful
in tracing some of that."

      The safety of all who use either National Forests and/or Bureau of
Land Management lands has been intensely compromised by these organized
criminal drug activities. Deputies from across northern California,
California Highway Patrol and U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement agents are
quick to affirm the danger. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Michael
Irvine of Fort Jones underscored his concerns and pointed to organized crime
whom he feels are responsible for the risks the general public now face when
visiting public lands.

      California Highway Patrol Officer Keith Ericson echoed the words of
Irvine when he said, "The danger on public lands is a very big concern as a
result of marijuana grow operations." According to Darrell Plemons, Chief of
Operations for the Tehama County Sheriff's Office, "The situation has
increased over the last few years to a dangerous epidemic."

      In order to shield themselves from law enforcement and ward off
unwanted intruders, this lowly element is heavily armed. They have also
planted booby traps meant to injure or even kill innocent hikers, ranchers,
hunters, backcountry horsemen, forest service employees, firefighters or
anyone who enters our national forests.

      On Aug. 30, a gunfight ensued between two Glenn County deputy
sheriff's and two Mexican nationals at the site of a marijuana garden. There
were no injuries. One of the two suspects, identified as Juan Carlos Olivera
from San Jose, was arrested while the other suspect escaped. Tehama County
Deputy Sheriff Troy McCoy was wounded during a gunfight on Aug. 21, while
participating in a Marijuana Eradication Team raid on a marijuana grow
operation. That raid resulted in the arrest of three Mexican nationals also
from San Jose.

      Tehama County Sheriff Clay Parker's staff has raided 17 growing
operations in just the first eight months of this year. Those raids have
resulted in the destruction of 27,306 plants and the confiscation of five
rifles, one shotgun and two pistols. Both Commander Reeves and Sheriff
Parker concur that some of the money from growing marijuana is used to buy
chemicals necessary for the production of "meth."

      According to rancher Laverne Daley of Oroville, last year a hunter was
found shot to death near a marijuana crop close to Daley's ranch. Prior to
that, a marijuana grower, found to have used the Daley's cattle for food,
was apprehended (also near their ranch). That grower had hooked a very fine
trip wire to a shotgun at head level on a forest trail leading to his
plants. When caught by law enforcement, he was in possession of both a
grenade launcher and an AK-47 assault rifle.

      A Siskiyou County MET drug raid in August resulted in the arrest of
three Asian nationals and on Sept. 1, Mexican nationals were found with
7,500 marijuana plants in their possession. According to Detective Merrill,
some growers are using only the buds of each plant, which produces
approximately one pound of finished product. The wholesale value equals
about $4,000 a pound with the street value considerably higher.

      Law enforcement officers also confirm the massive environmental damage
that has occurred at grow locations. Shasta County Sheriff Sergeant Tim
McDonald explained that grows use such compounds as rat poison, insecticides
and pesticides to kill unwanted animals that penetrate their operations.
Growers also carry large amounts of fertilizers to the site. Leftover
chemicals are discarded after the plants are harvested and usually end up in
creeks and watersheds. Months of human waste, paper, food cans, propane
canisters, food wrappers, as well as other forms of garbage are found strewn
about. Clean-up costs for these sites are enormously costly for counties.
Added to the cost of a well-planned raid that can utilize as many as 35
officers, vehicles and trucks to haul out confiscated plants, helicopter
costs at $500 per hour, many hours of overtime for the officers involved and
then prosecution expenses, it is easy to see how rapidly county funds are
depleted.