Lockyer Announces Campaign Against Marijuana (CAMP) Breaks 1 Million Plants in 2005

Lockyer Announces Campaign Against Marijuana Planting Program Breaks One
Million Plant Barrier For The 2005 Season
Eradication Effort Shatters Previous Single-Season Record by 400,000 Plants
By: Office of the AG
Published: September 20, 2005 at 09:24

Attorney General Bill Lockyer today announced the California Department of
Justice's Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP) program has eradicated
more than one million illegal marijuana plants, shattering the previous
single-season record by nearly 400,000 plants. The plants eradicated this
year are worth an estimated $4 billion. Just one month ago, CAMP announced
it had surpassed the prior single-season record of 621,315 plants set in
2004; and, with time still left in the 2005 season, the record number of
illegal plant seizures this season will continue to grow.

A raid conducted Monday in Tulare County pushed the season plant-seizure
total over the one million mark. So far this year, CAMP agents have
eradicated 405 gardens, made 22 arrests and seized 58 weapons; in contrast
to the 2004 season totals of 757 gardens, 41 arrests and 53 seized weapons.

CAMP agents are divided into five teams covering Northern, Central and
Southern California regions. Headed by the California Department of
Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, CAMP includes local, state and
federal agencies that work to eradicate illegal indoor and outdoor marijuana
cultivation and trafficking throughout California. The U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, California
National Guard, California Department of Fish and Game and dozens of local
police and sheriff departments from across the state participate in the
program.

"CAMP is a leader in illegal marijuana eradication because of outstanding
interagency cooperation, the leadership and support of the California
Department of Justice and the dedication and effort of the men and women
involved in the CAMP program," said CAMP commander Michael Johnson.

The increase in CAMP seizures of illegal marijuana plants is generally
attributed to more deployment teams throughout the state; more aggressive
techniques, particularly aerial transportation of officers and surveillance;
and larger garden sizes. In the 22-year history of the CAMP program leading
up to this season, agents have eradicated over four million plants with an
estimated wholesale value of more than $16 billion.

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