Thousands of Illegal Marijuana Plants Removed from California National Park
Federal authorities have removed nearly 2,400 marijuana plants and over a ton of trash from Sequoia National Park in California, as part of a massive illegal cultivation operation. The site, which was hidden deep inside the park, was found to have been used by a well-organized drug-trafficking operation.
The operation, which was dismantled last week, had damaged around 13 acres of protected parkland. In addition to the marijuana plants, crews removed nearly 2,000 pounds of trash and infrastructure, including a semi-automatic pistol, makeshift campsites, and chemicals such as Methamidophos, which is banned in the US.
The site was first discovered in 2024, but crews did not remove the operation entirely until this year due to the presence of dangerous chemicals. The removal process was carried out by hand and by helicopter, with the help of National Park Service law enforcement rangers and Bureau of Land Management special agents.
The illegal growing operation had a significant impact on the park’s ecosystem, with runoff from the site potentially contaminating creeks and exposing both park visitors and wildlife to toxic materials. The operation also diverted water from a nearby creek, harming the park’s natural vegetation.
Sequoia National Park has been plagued by drug-trafficking operations for nearly 20 years, with authorities eradicating close to 300,000 plants worth an estimated $850 million inside the park and its neighboring Kings Canyon National Park.
The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about illegal cultivation on park land is asked to call the National Park Service tip line at 888-653-0009.
