A string of violent clashes between drug cartels have terrorized Mexico in recent years. Now those cartels are moving some of their operations across the border into Kern County. The violence isn't far behind.
The stash of marijuana plants tied to the bottom of a sheriff's helicopter during a recent raid is part of growing problem for the county.
"Our national forest, private land, BLM land, Indian land. They will grow it in any place they can get water to," said Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood. He says the danger is high.
Detectives say a shooting in Edison earlier this month that killed two men and critically wounded two others, was over drugs. "There's so much money in this that killing someone doesn't mean anything. We have enough problems with gang violence that we don't need to battle drug cartels from Mexico," said Youngblood.
Sheriff Youngblood says deputies confiscated 70,000 plants from 17 different marijuana gardens this year with a street value of $275-million. Police in Mexico busted six members of the infamous La Familia drug cartel.
"The cartel is suspected in the murder of 16 Mexican police officers. There's a connection to Mexico drug cartels and when there's a connection to that there's a connection to guns. And taking them down is getting to be extremely dangerous.," said Ypungblood.
Despite a recent push to legalize and tax marijuana in our state, Youngblood says he pushing forward with enforcement. "Why don't we tax methamphetatime, why don't we tax heroin why don't we tax prostitution, burglars? Where is the line in society that we draw?" the sheriff asked.
