Deputies Removing Thousands of Marijuana Plants in Laguna Wilderness Park

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies have discovered 2,500 to 4,000 marijuana plants in the Muddy Canyon area of Laguna Wilderness Park, officials announced today.

Narcotics investigators today are removing the plants, which are located south of the 73 Toll Road, east of Newport Coast Drive near East Coastal Peak Park and Ridge Park Road.

The plants are in various stages of maturity, according to a department press release.

“The marijuana eradication effort will require narcotics investigators to hike into the rugged area and manually pull the plants out of the ground,” the release states. “The Sheriff’s Department’s airship ’Duke’ will be utilized to lift the plants and move them to a nearby staging area at Coastal Peak Park where it will be packaged for evidence.”

Deputies expect the operation, which began around 7 this morning, to take five to six hours.

There is no suspect information at this time; however, the investigation is ongoing, officials said.

Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at (714) 647-7000. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.