Law-enforcement officers ripped out more than 4,000 marijuana plants Thursday during a raid of a grove south of Fresno, the latest large-scale bust in the growing trend of pot farms on the Valley floor.
Thursday's operation, which began about 6:40 a.m., was prompted by neighbor complaints about the grove – estimated to cover about 20 acres – near the northwest corner of Central and Valentine avenues, said John Donnelly, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent.
Some of the marijuana plants were more than 12 feet high, he said. Medical marijuana recommendation letters from physicians were posted at the grove.
A federal warrant was served Thursday morning to people living on the property in tents and makeshift structures, though no arrests were made, Donnelly said.