(St. George, UT) - The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced Wednesday that on July 16, 2011, the DEA, along with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, seized 13,806 marijuana plants found growing in the mountains outside of Veyo, Utah, and arrested 38 defendants who were in the process of harvesting the plants. Also seized during the operation was

100 pounds of processed marijuana, one loaded handgun, and four vehicles.

The investigation of this Mexican drug trafficking organization (DTO) has linked it to at least three marijuana grow operations that were seized last year in the same general area of southern Utah.

Approximately 70 law enforcement officers participated in the operation from agencies that included the Washington County Area Task Force, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Forrest Service, Utah Department of Public Safety, DEA Metro Task Force, Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Fredonia Marshal’s Office, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.