Major Pot Bust in East Bay

SAN RAMON, Calif. (KCBS) _ A suspect is in custody and almost 2,000 marijuana plants have been seized from a park near San Ramon.

The marijuana growing operation was discovered about three weeks ago, according to East Bay Regional Park District Police Lieutenant David Dubowy.

"An Easy Bay Regional Park police helicopter spotted a marijuana field in Las Trampas Regional Park, which runs between San Ramon and Moraga," he said. "The helicopter found it in a ravine area with pretty rugged terrain."

Dubowy said officers investigated on foot the following week and found watering and irrigation lines, as well as an encampment.

On Wednesday morning, officials raided the site and recovered about 1,800 pot plants.

Dubowy said growing operations like this are not uncommon.

"We get these growth sites every summer. We get maybe a half-dozen at most per year," he said. "Generally, the growth sites that we have will range anywhere from an 1,800 count to about 20,000-30,000 plants at the most."

Officers arrested one suspect at the encampment. Another suspect escaped and is still at large.