Photo provided by Idaho State PoliceDAVID KENNARD - dkennard@idahostatesman.com
A three-month investigation by Idaho State Police, Owyhee County Sheriff's Office and other state and federal authorities yielded more than 7,000 mature marijuana plants Wednesday growing in a remote part of Owyhee County.
The large grow is the third major marijuana growing operation found on public land in recent months.
Wednesday's action began Monday night when Idaho State Police pulled over Jose Santoyo-Villa Monday near Marsing. He was found carrying 25 pounds of marijuana bud in his truck.
Police began investigating Santoyo-Villa three months ago. Their surveillance of his activities led to Monday's arrest.
"When we found the buds on him we knew that they were beginning to harvest," said Lt. Jack Catlin with the ISP.
Catlin said their investigation lead to a stash house in Nampa containing even more processed marijuana.
"We collected about 125 pounds of pot there," Catlin said.
Catlin said Santoyo-Villa would be charged in connection to the growing operation on state charges, but likely will face federal charges as well.
The grow was on National Forest land in a remote area off Idaho 78 near Silver City.
The only access to the area is by foot on a long trail or by helicopter.
Catlin described the growing operation as very organized, using irrigation pipes that fed off a natural spring.
"In the grow it was planted like crops, in rows," Catlin said.
He said the operation would have to have to use several people to cultivate that much marijuana. He estimated that it had been producing the drug for about three years.
Catlin said other arrests are pending.
Authorities have broken up at least three other similar operations recently.
Two in the Boise National Forest and another in Elmore County have yielded tens of thousands of pounds of marijuana plants this summer, Catlin said.
"And I'm sure now with hunting season and hunters going into the area, we'll find one or two more," Catlin said.
He said marijuana growers look for very remote areas such as the Owyhee County location.
"They'll get onto national forest land up behind some private land where nobody will be -- way back in the middle of nowhere," Catlin said.
He said two or three workers will usually tend the field for weeks or even months, while someone else brings in supplies to a drop point.
"When harvest time comes," Catlin said. "They carry it out on their backs."
Officials estimate the street value of the drugs harvested Wednesday at about $10 million.
David Kennard: 377-6436
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