Detectives Remove $3 Million Marijuana Crop in Moorpark

Ventura County Sheriff's detectives removed about 3,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $3 million from an area near Moorpark College Monday.

Narcotics investigators also found and removed an elaborate base camp containing food supplies, propne tanks, automotive batteries, cooking utensils, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, plastic irrigation pipes and hundreds of pounds of garbage, according to a statement issued by the Sheriff's Department Monday night.

As well, detectives found the growers had installed hundreds of feet of irrigation pipes to divert water from a nearby spring on the property and that they had recently shot and killed a deer, according to the sheriff's department.

The statement said a tip about the activity received by detectives prompted the investigation.

The grow was in a canyon on private land located northeast of the college, and investigators learned "the property owners were not responsible for establishing the grow and did not know the identitities of the suspects," according to the statement.

The sheriff's department requests anyone with information about those responsible for the grow contact Detective Sean Taylor at 805-383-8700 or, to remain anonymous, call Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.