WALLOWA – Police raided a remote outdoor marijuana grow operation in a remote area of northern Wallowa County on Wednesday, Aug. 24, Oregon State Police reported.

Two men were arrested in connection with the pot plantation.

The investigation began Thursday, Aug. 18, when a helicopter crew spotted the site on private Forest Capital land. Police from several agencies converged on the site this week and found more than 10,300 marijuana plants, with a value estimated at $25 million. The plants, from 3-5 feet tall, were eradicated.

Police believe this grow operation existed for many years without knowledge of the land owner. They found extensive environmental damage done to the old-growth forest area, with substantial amounts of trash, chemicals and irrigation tubing littered about the forest.

The OSP Fish and Wildlife Division is conducting an investigation into multiple environmental crimes that were discovered at the site.

Arrested at the site were Manuel Carrazco-Mendoza, 50, and Francisco Gallardo-Carrasco, 25, both facing charges of unlawful manufacture and possession of marijuana. They were taken to the Union County Jail.

Law enforcement officials have not confirmed where the two men are from.

It was the second large outdoor grow site located this summer in Wallowa County. The investigation and arrests are leading Oregon law enforcement officials to again urge citizens to continue to be on the lookout for indications of illegal marijuana growing this summer and upcoming hunting season while outdoors, and to immediately notify law enforcement officials if they encounter suspicious activity or an area where an illegal grow site may be.

People are urged to pay attention and on the lookout for possible signs of illegal outdoor marijuana growing activity including:

Seeing vehicles and people in unusual locations, at odd hours, or dropping off or picking up people in remote areas

Coming across a vehicle or person with an unusual supply of camping equipment or other items such as fertilizer, PVC pipe, irrigation hoses, small plastic planters, propane tanks, tents or tarps and gardening tools

Unexpected encounters with people armed with firearms outside of hunting season or non-traditional hunting areas

Finding fish kills in streams or large amounts of garbage in a remote area with empty bags of fertilizer or other chemicals, piping, plastic planters, and camping equipment

Seeing people in remote areas starting to landscape or clearing land

Noticing foot paths or trails that seem heavily used in non-traditional hiking or trail areas

State, county, local and federal law enforcement agencies involved in Wednesday multi-agency operation were: