LOS ANGELES (AP) — Authorities said Wednesday that they seized $1 billion worth of illegal marijuana in the largest eradication effort in Los Angeles County history.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva plans a Wednesday news conference to discuss details of an operation that seized 373,000 marijuana plants and 33,480 pounds of harvested pot with an estimated street value of nearly $1.2 billion.

California broadly legalized recreational marijuana sales in January 2018. But the black market thrives, partly because hefty legal marijuana taxes send consumers looking for better deals.

Tons of marijuana have been discovered in law enforcement raids this year in rural Southern California areas.