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Mountain Home News

Two arrested in major pot growing operation

Friday, August 1, 2008
Atelmo Ramires is taken into custody near the scene of where authorities seized 4,897 marijuana plants off Rattlesnake Creek Thursday. He was one of two men arrested in the operation that involved the Elmore County Sheriff's Office and five other state, federal and local law enforcement agencies.

The Elmore County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of five other state, federal and local law enforcement agencies, seized 4,897 mature marijuana plants and arrested two Mexican nationals in a rugged section of the county south of Prairie along Rattlesnake Creek Wednesday and Thursday.

The street value of the seizure was estimated by authorities to be worth approximately $9.6 million.

Tipped by hunters to the possible existence of a major growing operation, approximately 40 officers from the sheriff's office, Idaho State Police investigations teams, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officials, Idaho Fish and Game officers and the Canyon County narcotics squad (which provided manpower assistance), surrounded the growing operation beginning before dawn Thursday morning.

The plants were found in a series of well-maintained groves that stretched throughout a ravine off Rattlesnake Creek, about a mile from the nearest road.

Sigifiedo Lopez Garcia, 28, of Mexico, was arrested by Forest Service officials Wednesday afternoon as he attempted to recover food from a cache left near the road, about a mile from the growing site. He was initially charged locally with trafficking in marijuana. In addition, the federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) has a warrant out for him on an aggravated re-entry to the United States charge and warrants for previous drug charges.

Arrested after being found in some brush and rocks on a hillside near the scene of the growing operation Thursday morning was Atelmo Ramires, 31, also of Mexico. He was charged initially with trafficking in marijuana. Authorities said he had disposed of a 9mm semi-automatic handgun at the time he was challenged by law enforcement officers.

The plants had to be removed by helicopter from the rugged terrain. They were taken to a staging area near the road that runs south of Prairie close to the growing site, and loaded onto trailers. Most of the plants were destroyed by authorities during a burn at the Bennett landfill late Thursday, but 25 plants were held for evidence and forensic analysis.

For more details pick up thist week's Mountain Home News.

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  • MOST were burned, hope the rest wasn't kept for distribution within.......

    -- Posted by smiles98 on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 12:11 PM

  • It is great they got the marijuana but they only got the attendees which are almost always illegal aliens and get paid very little for their efforts of watering the plants. Where are the actual owners of the plants and why did the sheriffs office not get the guy who acts as the lookout? Sounds like it is another "plant only" and no prosecution of the actual criminals like the last big bust they had.

    -- Posted by WhatUknow on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 1:03 PM

  • bust bust bust, bluhhhh this has been going on now for over 60 years plus at a cost of trillions of dollars, when is it going to end,

    what does this bust do ????? what, waste more tax dollars, why don't the Government just Regulate it. I have other things I want my tax dollars spent on like health care, bonds, schools.

    never ending war, the roads too nowhere just don't cut it

    theres need to be a NEW PLAN because the one we got don't work

    -- Posted by Freedom on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 2:22 PM

  • So smiles98 are you accusing someone of something? If you knew anything about the law you would know that it does not matter what type of drugs are seized, a CERTAIN amount of the drugs, which is mandated by LAW has to be taken to the state lab for testing! Maybe people should call their local pd's and SO's and just ask what has to be done when drugs are taken like these.

    It amazes me that law enforcement officers are tipped off and instead of telling them thanks for taking them off the streets, where they could be sold to OUR KIDS, people moan and groan about it. Well I would like to say THANKS to everybody who helped, who spent the day in the hot,dry sun, pulling out the plants, loading them up and making sure they were destroyed. Thank you for not letting this grow get to our kids.

    It has to be hard on officers knowing that they only got to arrest the people who were caring for the marijuana and not the actual owners of it. Maybe just maybe, one of the gusy who were arrested will talk and tell them who the owners are. I know this is probably not going to happen, but maybe it will and then another drug dealer will be gone! Again, thanks to all the people that helped.

    -- Posted by ME1 on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 2:25 PM

  • Freedom's got that right. I've got a laundry list of things that our tax dollars could be better spent on!

    Our government needs to seriously consider regulation, and parents need to take a MUCH more active role in their children's education and home life if they don't want them to grow up to become pot heads.

    'Nuff said. Off my soap box I go.

    -- Posted by Nocturne on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 3:24 PM

  • the Government should protect Kids, they should Regulate Marijuana, its a super hugh Black Market thats in great Need of Regulation, That will work, what we got ? big money for somebody, just not us the American people, We all just gave up the Hemp Market, Medical Research, and on and on

    -- Posted by Freedom on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 3:24 PM

  • ME1, I guess I was being a little smart when I made my comment, so I guess you had every right to put me in my place. I respect your comments and do agree with some of them!!

    -- Posted by smiles98 on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 3:43 PM

  • Always amazes me how we are trying to outlaw tobacco and legalize marijuana.

    And it was fisherman that found the grow, not law enforcement. I guess if someone actually reported it, the Sheriff actually had to DO something about it.

    -- Posted by froggy on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 7:12 PM

  • its a wonder we didnt all get high thursday with them burning that much lol

    -- Posted by just1 on Sat, Aug 2, 2008, at 5:29 PM

  • I personally am thankful for the professionl law enforcment agencies we have in Mountain Home/Elmore County. Someday you will be touched by a true tragedy and will also appreciate the kind, human touch offered by a small town officer.

    -- Posted by Amused MtnHomey on Mon, Aug 4, 2008, at 10:30 PM

  • That may explain my munchie attack last Thursday.

    -- Posted by Beau on Tue, Aug 5, 2008, at 3:25 PM

  • I was one the hunters mentioned in the article. Myself along with two other friends stumbled upon it while bear hunting. Granted it's in the general vicinity of the South fork, it was still roughly three or four MILES from the river. Why a fisherman/men would be up there is beyond me...Froggy?????

    -- Posted by drew on Thu, Aug 14, 2008, at 1:08 AM
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