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10,000 Marijuana Plants Found Growing In State Park Near Gilroy

GILROY (CBS/AP) -- Authorities say they've found 10,000 marijuana plants growing in a California state park.

The plants were found Wednesday in a canyon inside Henry Coe State Park near Gilroy. The operation was first located in June.

The Santa Clara County sheriff's office says the farm probably was operated by a Mexican drug cartel.

Major Pot Bust Inside Henry Coe State Park

State and local authorities also found two .22-caliber pellet rifles.

Since 2006, the sheriff's office has been involved in four officer-involved shootings during pot-eradication operations on public lands.

Wednesday's operation was part of an annual spring and summer fight against illegal pot farms in the county. In the past two years, eradication teams have cut down more than 261,000 plants and arrested 51 people.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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