Officials destroy nearly 7,000 marijuana plants near Mariposa

Mariposa County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Forest Service officials destroyed a marijuana garden Wednesday that had almost 7,000 plants growing on the side of a mountain in the Sierra National Forest, according to a news release.

The garden, located in the Signal Peak area, was identified as an illegal Mexican cartel drug-trafficking operation, according to Kristie Mitchell, the sheriff’s public information officer.

Deputies found two men near the garden, deputies said. Juan Pedro Jimenez of Ensenada, Mexico, was arrested, deputies said, while the other man escaped.

A total of 6,919 marijuana plants were destroyed in three separate areas of the garden, deputies said, that were all connected by drip-irrigation lines used to water the vegetation.

Deputies also found a .22-caliber, bolt-action rifle near a tent in the garden.

Jimenez was taken by Forest Service personnel to a federal holding facility in Fresno, according to deputies.

This story was originally published July 9, 2015 at 10:08 AM with the headline "Officials destroy nearly 7,000 marijuana plants near Mariposa."