ONDCP Excel Eightieth Row
Action Item Number:
Action Item Name:
Eradicate Marijuana Cultivation on Public Lands
Action Item Description:
Drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs), generally those with links to Mexican cartels, are exploiting United States territory, especially public lands, for the cultivation of marijuana.
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Moreover, marijuana is being cultivated by traffickers from Mexican DTOs at remote outdoor grow sites on a number of Indian reservations, particularly those in the Pacific Northwest. Often, these marijuana fields are guarded 24 hours a day by armed criminals and sometimes protected by booby traps, thereby posing a significant threat to public safety. In addition, significant environmental damage results from marijuana cultivators camping for extensive periods in pristine public lands and using fertilizers and other chemicals. Federal agencies have worked with their State, local, and tribal government counterparts to respond to marijuana cultivation. By coordinating their efforts and pooling their resources, they have eradicated record numbers of marijuana plants each year for the past 5 years. Support from Federal agencies and information on the precise location of clandestine marijuana fields from State, local, and tribal agencies is crucial to those responsible for managing public lands, especially as trafficking organizations expand to additional states. The DEA, National Guard, and HIDTA Task Forces, as well as State and local agencies, have provided critical support in funding, helicopter support, and intelligence analysis. ONDCP, through the HIDTA program, provides funding for investigation and eradication of marijuana plantations through the Domestic Marijuana Eradication and Investigation Project (DMEIP). ONDCP will collaborate with DEA and the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and other agencies to review the current threat as assessed by NDIC and work to increase the effectiveness of marijuana eradication.
Lead Agency:
ONDCP
Component(s):
HIDTA