Approximately 8,000 marijuana plants were discovered and eradicated in eastern Wisconsin Tuesday in one of the largest drug removals in Wisconsin history.
According to a statement from the state Department of Justice, the drugs were removed from 12 sites on the Navarino Wildlife Refuge.
The statement said ""a substantial amount of marijuana had been harvested"" before law enforcement was notified of the drug operation, which appeared to have been abandoned.
Detective Sgt. Terry Moede of Shawano County said a hunter made the discovery a few weeks ago. Moede said no arrests have been made and the drug activity is under ongoing investigation.
Moede said a number of surrounding agencies aided in cleaning up the area. Nearly 80 law enforcement officials, including officials from the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Department of Natural Resources, were involved in clean-up.
The DOJ said the growing sites are considered dangerous and said the complexity and number of marijuana growing sites on campgrounds have increasingly become a problem.
In a statement, Shawano County Sheriff Randy Wright said the investigation of the recently found marijuana plants is ""only one portion of a much larger inquiry.""
