Big Pot Grow Busted in Kittitas County

The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office and members from State CERT busted a large illegal marijuana grow operation early Tuesday morning.

Deputies say the plants had a street value over $2 million.

The grow was reported by an Ellensburg couple who came upon the plants while hiking up a remote canyon.

Deputies also removed a sawed off shotgun, 660 pounds of trash, chemicals, irrigation lines, camp equipment, tools and food from the grow site.The grow was reported by an Ellensburg Couple who came upon the plants while hiking up a remote canyon.

Undersheriff Clayton Myers says "One of the under-reported impacts of these operations is the negative impacts on the environment. Green trees are cut down, natural vegetation is removed and the ground is terraced, which results in extensive erosion after the grow is abandoned. The streams are dug out and re-routed for irrigation systems and the chemicals and fertilizers are run right into the streams and springs."

The investigation continues today.