California’s Sequoia National Park Sees Illegal Marijuana Farm Removed
In a recent operation, authorities removed over 2,000 illegal marijuana plants from a 13-acre site within Sequoia National Park in northern California. The site, which was raided last week, also contained around 2,000 pounds of trash and infrastructure that was removed by hand and by helicopter.
The National Park Service (NPS) reported that the illegal farm caused significant damage to the park’s natural resources, including poaching activity, cleared vegetation, and illegally maintained trails. The farm also diverted water from a nearby creek, which can use up to eight gallons of water per day, affecting wildlife and vegetation that rely on it.
In addition to the marijuana plants, authorities found a semi-automatic pistol, hazardous chemicals, including a banned insecticide, and other hazardous materials. The NPS noted that the farm’s infrastructure, including campsites, kitchen areas, and cultivation sites, was developed in a wilderness area.
The illegal farm was initially spotted and raided in 2024, but the removal of the dangerous chemicals delayed the rehabilitation of the site until this year. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. The NPS is asking for tips on illegal cultivation on park land and can be reached at 888-653-0009.
This is not the first instance of illegal marijuana cultivation in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. In the past 20 years, authorities have removed almost 300,000 marijuana plants valued at nearly $850 million from the two parks. Well-organized drug-trafficking organizations have been operating large-scale cultivation operations in the area for nearly two decades.
