A pot farm of 20,000 to 30,000 marijuana plants on 11 separate fields, irrigated through a complex system of pipes and hoses from ponds near the Crabtree Nature Center in Barrington, Illinois [MAP/SAT] was discovered June 16 by the DEA following a June 10 discovery of a strange irrigation system operated suspicious workers.
The June 10 discovery was reported by an intern working for McGraw Wildlife Research.
The intern reported the incident to the Cook County Forest Preserve Police, who reported the find to the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
The pot farm operations setup included 11 fields, irrigation from the lake at Crabtree Nature Center, bunkers with three cots, stores of food, and showers. The DEA estimated the largest of the 11 fields to be about three football fields long and one and a half football fields wide.
Federal investigators setup surveillance cameras and arrested two 23-year-old men: Jose Verra, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, and Bernardo Rangel, a Mexican citizen who possessed a permanent resident ID card. Bond was set at $40,000 each. Rangel posted bond and was released. Verra remains detained at the Cook County Jail.
The marijuana was burned and an investigation will search for more suspects.