3 Central Valley Counties in Top 10 for Pot Busts

The Central Valley is known for its crops, so it might not come as a surprise that three area counties are among California’s top 10 in marijuana plant removals, according to a report Wednesday by the state Department of Justice.

Tulare County leads the state in marijuana cultivation, with a quarter of the state’s seized plants. If the weed were legal, it would take the place of oranges as Tulare County’s second most valuable crop.

This year, 141,239 marijuana plants were seized in Tulare County, including the contents of a 73,000-plant garden discovered this month. Fresno County followed as No. 7 in the ranks, with Madera County as No. 9 in plants discovered.