Smith County’s Efforts to Eliminate Marijuana Fields

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners have approved a federal grant to help eradicate marijuana. The $15,000 grant is from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. No word on what kind of equipment will be bought to help in the effort.

Two of the nearly dozen fields found in the area last year were in Smith County. Other discoveries were made in Anderson, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Morris, Upshur and Van Zandt Counties. Many of the sites had evidence of people living there to care for the plants. Some even had elaborate watering systems.

One official thinks he knows where they’re coming from. More than a dozen were found in the area in the last six months of last year. Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said last September, two were in his county, resulting in the seizure of nearly 10,000 marijuana plants. He believes they are cartel-related. “This is not your little Johnny’s grow out in the back field,” says Anderson. “This is definitely a sophisticated criminal activity.” He says the bad guys set up shop on property that, while it may be owned by someone, is rarely visited. They set up camp, complete with irrigation systems and campsites. He believes some of the people doing this are from Mexico and some are U.S. citizens with ties to the cartels. Once a field is discovered, the plants are destroyed.