Police in California say they have seized $1.7bn worth of marijuana plants in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

They have also arrested 97 people over the past three weeks, most of them Mexican nationals believed to have ties with Mexican drug cartels.

White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske said police had found industrial-sized plantations of marijuana.

Experts say Mexican cartels are increasingly growing marijuana in the US, rather than smuggling it there.

450 officers from local, state and federal agencies took part in the raids in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California.

They found more than a hundred locations where marijuana was being grown illegally.

How many times have they ruined my plan(t)s?

I was thinking of poor Bobbdobbs, yet another party shipment stopped.

The thing is that California is voting to legalise cannabis in the state so that they can tax it and raise funds, though what will happen then? The feds will still come in and seize it yet the states will encourage it as long as taxes are paid.

I think it's a good idea to legalise it, means it can be regulated and taxed, would help drive out the cartels too IMO, as unless they can sell it dirt cheap (and for the risk involved I doubt it) then would you rather get a regulated product from a reputable shop that meets quality standards or some shady character selling it off a corner.

I agree but the problem is that while it might be legal in California soon enough it will still be a federal offence, and so the FBI may turn up to bust state grown pot which may be protected by state police. The California state budget could do with a serious infusion of cash to balance the books and pot might be the way to do it.

I mentioned it's legal to produce for medical reasons, but they have been under the same cloak & dagger secrecy for some years because although they have carte blanch from the state, the FBI would still come in if they knew