Millions of Costa Rican Pot Plants Go Up in Smoke

Costa Rica’s drug police this year have eradicated more than two million marijuana plants from the Talamanca mountain range in the southern Caribbean this year, the largest amount since 2007.

Nearly one million plants were seized earlier this month during a sweep of the region, enough to fill an area measuring nearly 40,000 square meters, a police spokesman said.

Drug police conduct multiple sweeps each year in the Talamanca region, home to some of Costa Rica’s biggest indigenous populations. Rugged terrain and difficult access make the area ideal for traffickers.

Costa Ria’s drug czar, Mauricio Boraschi, said no arrests were made. He also said police have found no evidence that international traffickers are involved in drug-growing operations in the area.

Critics say the frequent police sweeps in the Talamanca region are a waste of resources and an uphill battle.