IL State Police has choppers?

[Bababooey]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-mchenry-pot-farm-both-02aug02,0,2595213.story

Didn't know our State Police had copters/planes looking for outdoor grows. Thought that was mostly a Cali/Kentucky thing...

Also, how 'high-grade' could an outdoor grow with 4000 plants be? With a lot of clones, and good midwest dirt and sun, probably very good, but that's a lot of work...

Interesting to note that this is at least the second time they've used the same patch; the popo apparently saw it last year, after it was harvested. So lesson of the story is, if you're an outdoor grower, don't use the same spot twice.



"Nearly 4,000 marijuana plants that had been cultivated in two wooded areas near Hebron in McHenry County were destroyed this week, Sheriff Keith Nygren said Friday.

In a clearing southeast of Hebron, the sheriff's police narcotics unit found a campsite with a tent, propane tanks, fertilizer and garden tools, Nygren said. The other field, believed to be part of the same operation, was on property southwest of Hebron that is owned by the McHenry County Conservation District.

Authorities estimated the street value of the plants at $3.8 million.

Half the plants—and the campsite—were discovered Wednesday off Vander Karr Road near Kemman Road, according to Nygren and court records. Two men were living there. Miguel Talavera-Lopez, 24, of Battle Creek, Mich., was arrested and charged with unlawful production of cannabis plants, Nygren said. He was ordered held in lieu of $40,000 bail Thursday.

While searching Friday for the man who fled, police found the second site about four miles away on conservation district property, Nygren said.

"We eradicated both sites and did a burn on site," he said. "It's a regular, organized kind of operation."

A conservation district spokeswoman declined to comment.

Nygren said police noticed the first site during a flyover last fall with Illinois State Police, but the crop had been harvested."

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Just about every state gets some federal funding to pay for the helicopters to fly around and look for plants.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

god i hate my gov. my poor senator gets a letter from me atleast once a week with variouse complaints... lol sometimes i get 2 of his form letters in the mailbox at once..
everything from mmj to free speach and rights, shit i just wrote a big letter about the new "bag tax"
www.stopthebagtax.com

 

[RudolfTheRed]

I think almost every state tries to have the helicopters fly through every county in its state at least once. They fly every where buddy. Its not just a west coast/Kentucky thing those places just have better funding and find more plants because more people grow.

 

[hamstring]

This may be true but I have been at this for a while and have never seen them in my Midwest City until this year. It may seem silly but it’s all new to me.

And if they do only fly through each county once or twice why this early? Why not wait until the foliage changes color except your plot of course. Why not maximize your chances? What ever the answer is it concerns me as it has never been a problem and may still not be but I am concerned.

 

[ninfan77]

In a lot of states, the National Guard is even involved doing fly overs looking for large plots outdoors.

Just be smart about placement, and numbers. It's all good.

 

[RudolfTheRed]

And if they do only fly through each county once or twice why this early? Why not wait until the foliage changes color except your plot of course.

Well according to actual officers who have been to school to detect marijuana plants from the air its actually easier to find the plants earlier in the season than it is to find them later. When plants are fully grown it blends in with the rest of the foliage easier but at the beginning of the season is when growers clear an area out to plant the marijuana and its easier to spot especially with much larger grows.

 

[RudolfTheRed]

In a lot of states, the National Guard is even involved doing fly overs looking for large plots outdoors.

Just be smart about placement, and numbers. It's all good.

In my state local, state, and federal agencies all look for marijuana from the air in conjunction with the National Guard and they even lease some of the work out to private corporations. In my area a private company has managed to find thousands of plants and its cheaper to contract them out than it is for the state to do the work themselves.

 

[Julian]

Illinois State Police Air Operations Division

The ISP air fleet consists of five Cessna aircraft. Five single-engine Cessna 182's are used for air operations throughout Illinois for state, federal, and local law enforcement agencies. Single-engine airplanes are extremely useful for police applications because of their slow flight characteristics. Their ability to remain aloft for long periods of time is particularly useful during long missions.

ISP airplanes are used for a variety of missions including: airspeed checks, photography, manhunts, surveillance, missing person searches, marijuana eradication, commercial vehicle enforcement and executive transportation. Our services are available without cost to any law enforcement agency with a legitimate need for an aerial platform.

DuPage Airport Whiteside County Airport
Planes: Cessna 182 (P-7)
Cessna 182 (P-8)

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport Scott/MidAmerica Airport
Plane: Cessna 182 (P-6)

Whiteside County Airport
Plane: Cessna 182 (P-4)

Scott/MidAmerica Airport
Plane: Cessna 182 (P-5)

One will also find at the bottom of that page, a PDF of the state map including every county, coverage, aircraft and airport locations

But should also be notes, only State Police, and does not include County, local, National Guard assistance and Task Forces.

Larger counties will also have aircraft.

 

[hamstring]

Julian
Great find!!!! I never new they did fly overs in these small midwestern areas. I was living in ignorance I guess because I had never heard of eradication in my area before. I appreciate the info and you learn something new everyday.

Thanks

 

[Julian]

Well, ones "area" per se........(Illinois I can talk about day because was around and hung out there for many years.....S/SW/SE Wisco, NW Iowa and NE Indiana also...I had it covered at the time for quite a while )

One has to also keep in mind you have State Parks, and then you have County Forest Preserves. (Cook County Forest Police has always been very active......especially southern CC.)

A clip from last years Barrington pop shows agencies involved (I looked it up)
The agencies participating in the eradication at the Crabtree Nature Preserve today were the DEA, Cook County Forest Preserve Police, Barrington Police Dept, Barrington Fire Dept, Elk Grove Police Dept, Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Elgin Police Dept, Illinois State Police, Naperville Police Dept, Batavia Police Dept and the Illinois Army National Guard Reserve. The case is being prosecuted by the Cook County State Attorneys Office.

MEG (Metropolitan Enforcement Group) are widespread also..not only Lake County.

One can also reference the DEA's DCE/SP:
The DEA's Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP) is a nationwide law enforcement program that exclusively targets marijuana. The DCE/SP began funding programs in Hawaii and California in 1979. Since that time, the program has expanded to all 50 states, and provides support and resources to 111 state and local law enforcement agencies that participate in the program.

All 50 states are covered. It's just a matter of how covered and where...

(IL PDF above good example......single aircraft covering large portions of the state, and shared duties on top of it..(But, again, doesn't take into consideration county, and National Guard assistance.)

I spent a lot of time there and never, in many years and several extremely large ops saw a single chopper.

One also has to remember they are looking for "farms".....first and foremost....that's their priority and target and what they seek......everything else is secondary...

Can't cover every square inch/yard/mile of entire nation.......a physical impossibility and unreasonable

Always the bonus of working an area/areas that one has been for many years.....because you know what is where and when

Note: Southern Cook County and Forest Preserves hot as hell. CCFP (Tree pigs as we used to call them ) have brought down a lot of ops in CC Forest Preserves over the years. (Matteson, around there.....) Cook County Sheriff, etc.....An older Matteson bust....I like how they say how the plants were grown from "buds" , and, please, no one ask me about the 3,000 they got outside O'Hare that year .

Joint DEA/Cook County Forest Preserve Cannabis Eradication Program

Btw.......
The Barrington guys?......

Got 2 years (30-40,000 plants)



2 years.

One more passage from that one:
Waszak did not know the last time a forest preserve caretaker or forest preserve police officers, who regularly search for illegal crops, had been near the site.


Of course, if one makes it a point to look at all cases, they're even telling you exactly where they're doing fly overs...

Interesting comments regarding recruitment.......

Always know your area.......know everything going on everywhere...know who's running it......know when they're running it...know how they're running it.......know as much about what is going and and where as they do

Or you could just get a cousin to work for the forest preserve...

 

[hamstring]

Julian
The thing that bothers me is as we get more of these type busts it just fuels the fire pun intended. I would love to see one of those 10k plant burns not to try and get high but just the overall sight of it all.

More money goes into these organizations which means more fly overs, more cops etc. That one in Cook County was by illegals as I remember. I have commented on this a few times but every step forward towards decriminalizing MJ is two steps backwards when these type of Mexican style grows busts get the news press.

Enough of the rant I keep learning here every day and appreciate the time and effort guys like you put into educating us all. Thanks again Julian

 

[Bababooey]

Yeah, I read about how those two mexican guys were given 2 years for their huge outdoor grow. I guess the authorities figured they were just the 'mules' so to speak; just the caretakers, not the masterminds behind the plot? Or did they snitch? Didn't say anything about them cooperating, but 2 years for such a huge grow seems low, doesn't it?

 

[Julian]

Julian
The thing that bothers me is as we get more of these type busts it just fuels the fire pun intended. I would love to see one of those 10k plant burns not to try and get high but just the overall sight of it all.

More money goes into these organizations which means more fly overs, more cops etc. That one in Cook County was by illegals as I remember. I have commented on this a few times but every step forward towards decriminalizing MJ is two steps backwards when these type of Mexican style grows busts get the news press.

Enough of the rant I keep learning here every day and appreciate the time and effort guys like you put into educating us all. Thanks again Julian

Well, in all honesty, I ponder why everyone seems to buy their claims hook line and sinker ...

There have been a few, but, last one, guy grabbed was from Battle Creek, Michigan, not Culiacan

Now, while many may ponder, I can state with 100% certainty, they have no interest in such down there.....(a 50/50 chance of something somewhere when they can 100% safely set up a 1,000 acre solid grow?.....)

(Not to mention, the word "cartel" in itself is not applicable either......they don't meet the definition of the word....)

It's propaganda.........Gulf "cartel"....Sinaloa "cartel" are not sitting around planning a grow in Hebron, Illinois (when they own and operate , again, maybe 100 farms from 50-5,000 acres each.....under protection.....)

(note: They do green because it's extra money....their real money is in other things......)

2. Things are no different than they always have been: They go up looking for the larger ops.....

Frankly, my personal position is I think they are stupid......truly.... (10k-30k-50k all in one place........your not going to get away with it......why not just paint a 100 foot diameter bullseye on the ground instead......)

Don't believe the propaganda.......Mexicans?.....growing pot?...well they must be from the cartels ......Please....

White guy?.....well, they must be OC, LCN...OMC's ...

Indian guys with a crop?, well, of course, they must be growing it to fund terrorism.......

C'monn............don't buy it.....

They always have, and always will try and paint a more dramatic picture.....they exaggerate the estimates.......they exaggerate the effects (selling to your children to make them go crazy.......)

Don't believe it, it's all a lie....

Yeah, I read about how those two mexican guys were given 2 years for their huge outdoor grow. I guess the authorities figured they were just the 'mules' so to speak; just the caretakers, not the masterminds behind the plot? Or did they snitch? Didn't say anything about them cooperating, but 2 years for such a huge grow seems low, doesn't it?

I doubt they had anything to tell.....probably made up some story....stuck to it.....2 doesn't meet federal guidelines, (MM's) so.....assume local prosecution.....maybe they did, but, what could they say?, what could they tell?.....

Sure they had a story,k a stuck to it........, and, it obviously turned out for the best for them

(I don't care who and what they are.....to wish otherwise upon someone for growing out favorite botanical treat is bad form...bad taste......


Edit: Funding such is not cheap......maybe the guys they catch are the owners, maybe they are not, but, I guarantee "funding" was not sent from Culiacan ....

Local "gang"?....more likely.....

A mere group of guys who have an idea and shoot for a goal......nothing more.........illegals chosen for safety......

One should not forget....south of the border, it is almost a legitimate industry...so.....(could have excess of 50,000 people who have been employed at farms at one time or another....)....so......someone here and there who has worked on/at one?.......

It's all BS..."Cartel" grows........

I've spent a lot of time down there...know and talked to a lot of people

The "cartels".........even intermediate authorities do not have an interest in ops in Hebron...

I can say this with 100% complete and total certainty...

(They always have an interest in setting up more down there.......but, not here......they can't protect it...it's a crapshoot.....)

Once again: 2 acres with penalties with a 50/50 chance, vs. 500 acres there with 100% certainty and protection...

Nah.....they have no interest......trust me

 

[Bababooey]

You make some very good points, Julian. Never thought of it like that, that these Mexican cartels supposedly setting up grows in rural IL have access to tons of safe land IN MEXICO.
So these are homegrown ops? But then why do the ones that are caught always seem to use Mexican workers? At least that's how it seems to me. Must be media propaganda, trying to make it seem like the domestic mj market is linked to violent Mexican drug cartels.

 

[Julian]

You make some very good points, Julian. Never thought of it like that, that these Mexican cartels supposedly setting up grows in rural IL have access to tons of safe land IN MEXICO.

Literally tons.....literally..(your talking no shortage of 12,000 acre ranches for about 1MM........)

They have no interest......I can state that for a fact...

People will talk about how they want to do it here so they don't have the losses there, but, the "cartels" experience minimal loss....it's the others that get hit hard......

Lot of things people don't know about them.....

What is also of interest on the above one is the same spot was done last year and harvested before they got there Note: They're extra stupid for working the same spot after pulling 7 figures down from it.....called "pushing your luck"....

I'd also bet that crop was being sold small for a year on the corners of either Rockford of Pilsen.... (Hmmm.....Waukegan maybe?....) Why unload for 1500 a p and be out in a month when you could dump it over the course of a year in small bags on the corner and pull 10k a pp for it ....

Nah.....I don't buy it for a moment

So these are homegrown ops? But then why do the ones that are caught always seem to use Mexican workers? At least that's how it seems to me. Must be media propaganda, trying to make it seem like the domestic mj market is linked to violent Mexican drug cartels.

Actually, some have stated Mexican....some illegals, some not, and some not caught at all

So.......

How can they determine the race of people not caught?

I have no doubt certain groups have an interest in growing their own product....I have no doubt that many people, in many such groups would like to make a large amount of money........

But, to link every Mexican to Mexican "cartels".....well.......

It should also be noted........relating to the above......a "ton" (1000 kilos)....Pfffftttttt.....down there?......to "cartels"?

Some guys do a couple a week....and there are many such people...

Lot of trouble and exposure to go through for a ton when supposedly the people responsible do that a day ...

I'd put it upon local community, "gangs", a hell of a lot quicker than I would even begin to believe they know, care, or fund it from down south......

It's propaganda.....just as what they have always done........they exaggerate any and every aspect they can to make it appear to the general pubic as though they are "fighting crime"....

Illegal mexicans?......I could walk out my door, drive for 20 minutes and show you 1,000+ .......and I guarantee they're not Sinaloa They're just average people.......trying to make it, trying to live, trying to "hit it big".....

Illegals desirable due to treatment and deniability...the same way the very same organizations utilize minors for certain work..(risk reduction and insulation...)

Last, but not least:
You have hundreds, if not thousands of hispanic gangs throughout the United States......

So......

What is more likely?