Mexican army discovers ‘biggest ever’ marijuana farm
A huge marijuana plantation has been discovered by Mexican soldiers in the northern state of Baja California.
Situated about 190 miles south of the US border, the 300-acre plot is believed to be the largest marijuana farm ever found in the country.
Local military commander Alfonso Duarte told reporters that about 60 people are thought to have been working on the farm, which is located near the coastal town of San Quintin.
"When they saw the military personnel, they fled," he explained.
General Duarte valued the crop of the plantation at about €160 million (£99 million).
The site is four times bigger than the previous record holder for a Mexican marijuana farm, which was discovered on a ranch in Chihuahua state in 1984.
Mel Rodriguez, assistant special agent at the US Drug Enforcement Administration, recently told ABC News that marijuana is the "number one cash crop" for drug cartels in Mexico.
He said proceeds from selling the drug are used by gangs to fund various other criminal operations.
