Big marijuana farm found in Alpine County

Alpine County and federal authorities seized between 4,000 and 6,000 marijuana plants on Wednesday located in a remote area near Markleeville.

Alpine County Undersheriff Robert Levi said the marijuana farm was planted in a highly organized fashion on a steep portion of the county.

Alpine County and U.S. Forest Service officials found the grow, which included a large quantity of drying marijuana, a pistol, ammunition and two pellet rifles.

Levi said someone was seen fleeing the area while authorities were at the scene. One Hispanic male is in federal custody.

"It is believed that there are three more suspects at large that were associated with the marijuana grow," he said.

Levi said that preliminary indications are that the grow is controlled by a Mexican drug cartel.

"These cartels, known for their violence, are of a specific concern to the Alpine County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Forest Service," he said.