KERN MOUNTAINS -- On Thursday around 7 a.m, deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Major Violators Unit with assistance of officers from the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (C.A.M.P.) and Federal Agents with the U.S. Forrest Service , located a marijuana grow on U.S Forrest land in the area of Mill Creek and Old Kern Canyon Road, east of Highway 178.

A helicopter was utilized to transport the officers into the area due to the rough terrain.

No suspects were located during this operation.

Officers located a camp site within the grow containing materials used to maintain the marijuana.

The camp was dismantled and removed from the area.

Approximately 3,200 mature marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $12,800,000 were removed from the area by helicopter.

Also on Thursday, deputies and agents located a marijuana grow on U.S Forrest land in the area of Green Horn Creek.

A helicopter was utilized to transport the officers into the area due to the rough terrain. The grow was occupied by a suspect who was processing the marijuana, and fled as officers arrived. The suspect discarded a handgun, which was recovered inside the grow.

Officers said they located a camp site within the grow containing materials used to maintain the marijuana.

The camp was dismantled and removed from the area. Approximately 1,214 mature marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $4,856,000 were removed from the area by helicopter.

It appears that approximately 400 plants had already been harvested, with the majority of the processed marijuana removed from the grow. Approximately three pounds of processed marijuana was located and seized from the grow.