Drug Agents Bust (ANOTHER) South Bay Marijuana Farm

Drug Agents Bust South Bay Marijuana Farm

POSTED: 8:42 pm PDT July 27, 2006
UPDATED: 9:06 pm PDT July 27, 2006
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SAN FRANCISCO -- Drug agents made a huge marijuana bust in the San Jose hills on Thursday.

They made an arrest, and NBC11's Damian Trujillo -- the only reporter there -- got a rare look at the arrest of a suspected pot grower.

SLIDESHOW: Thursday's Marijuana Bust | Monday's Bust

Agents flew into the rugged terrain of the Santa Cruz mountains armed to fight an enemy they couldn't see, but one who could see them.

The undercover agent on the flight knew that feeling all too well -- he was in a shootout last year with suspected pot growers.

"They opened fire on us before we identified ourselves or (they) knew we were law enforcement," the agent said. "We could have easily been people that were hikers."

As the chopper flew the two dozen agents into position, a call came in from crews already on the ground. An arrest had been made.

Three hours later, agents hiked out with 51-year-old San Jose resident Salvador Escamilla Huitron.

"This is definitely going to show people we mean business in Santa Clara County," the agent said. "We're going to take them off the streets."

Huitron was guarding one of the marijuana farms. Despite extremely rugged terrain, marijuana growers have begun growing marijuana there year-round.

DEA agents, sheriffs' offices from Santa Clara and San Benito counties and Campaign Against Marijuana Planting took part in the raid.

Thursday was the 11th consecutive day agents busted a marijuana farm in the South Bay.

The total value of the 42,000 marijuana plants collected so far this year is $168 million.

Previous Stories:

* July 25, 2006: Pot Worth $40 Million Found In South Bay