Agents seize nearly $2 billion in pot

FRESNO, Calif. (CNN/KSEE) - Federal agents in California say they seized nearly 450,000 marijuana plants during a raid in two national forests. The drugs' street value? About $2 billion.

Operation Trident included everything from eradication to staking out supply runners. Fifty-five people have been arrested and face federal drug charges.

But officials are looking to make even more arrests. Only 75 of 126 grow sites have been eradicated.

"This is not just a public lands issue. It's all of our community issue," said Sheriff Margaret Mims, Fresno County.

"They have volumes of garbage, all their pipe, propane tanks, everything's left there when they leave. This is our land," said Sheriff John Anderson, Madera County.

Reclamation was a major focus of this operation. The Department of Fish and Game says for every acre illegal growers plow, about ten acres of habitat suffer the effects. Wildlife is destroyed, and fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals get mixed into the water that supplies the Central Valley.

Officials say it could take years for these areas to replenish.

"We as county sheriffs in the San Joaquin Valley are prepared to lead the charge to prevent drug cartels from coming into our county and taking over our public land," said Sheriff Bill Wittman, Tulare County.