Hidden war : how special operations game wardens are reclaiming America's wildlands from the drug cartels

In 2016, illegal sales of marijuana in the U.S. were estimated at $46.6 billion, and black market illegal sales made up 87 percent of all weed sales. Combined sales - both legal and illegal - in the industry totaled $53.3 billion, which is a pretty astounding figure when you consider that in 2016 wine sales in the U.S. reached $38 billion, corn sales were $23.3 billion and wheat sales were $7.5 billion. Marijuana is grown illegally in all 50 states, but the largest illegal trespass grows are found in California. With California being only one of six true Mediterranean climates on the globe, and with an ideal climate for growing marijuana almost year round, the state led the nation in 2016, producing at least 13.5 million pounds of marijuana - five times more than the 2.5 million pounds it consumed. In addition to cannabis being sanctioned for medical use throughout the state, and recreational cannabis (which will be legal in 2018 throughout California), the largest amount of illegal marijuana in the state is found in clandestine trespass grows run by Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO's) on national forests, parks, recreation areas and wildlife refuges including state and local wildlands. Each year, between 4,000 and 6,000 trespass growers take to the woods of California, and spend at least half the year working 24/7 cultivating and protecting their lucrative cash crop. They divert and pollute millions of gallons of pristine water while using illegal fertilizers and pesticides (some so toxic they were banned by the EPA from use in the US over a decade ago). These groups use large amounts of rat poison and over-the-counter poisonous insecticides and rodenticides. The violent groups carry firearms, knives, anti-personnel and animal boobie traps (punji pits, trip holes, snares, etc.). On the sinister side of the occult, these cartel groups also dabble in black magic and use shrines to honor Patron Saints such as Santa Muerte (Patron of Death). However, there is an elite group of game wardens who hunt these cartels and risk their lives to keep America's wild places free. Hidden War: How Special Operations Game Wardens Are Reclaiming America's Wildlands From The Drug Cartels tells that story. This isn’t a book about a conflict in a faraway country; it's a wake-up call. While debates about border security continue to rage, and with stories about legal and illegal marijuana in the news daily, Hidden War forces an astonishing dose of reality into the public consciousness. California game warden Lt. John Nores, Jr., now retired, has been at the forefront of an under-reported battle against thousands of Mexican drug cartel members who grow toxic marijuana on U.S. soil, frequently on public lands, and sometimes remarkably close to population centers. Who would guess that this struggle is even going on, or that game wardens are on the front lines? Not only does black market marijuana cultivation undermine legitimate growers, but it endangers lives. The cartels, armed and ready to defend their cash crop, pose a huge threat to hikers, hunters, bikers, bird watchers and everyone else who enjoy public lands and wild places. Further, trespass marijuana growers divert waterways and use banned chemicals that render the plants toxic. And even after these criminals are long gone, they leave behind an environmental disaster that may never be fixed. It's estimated that black market sales of marijuana comprise up to 90% of all weed sales annually. California is at the hub of this problem, and the effects reverberate across the U.S. This is John Nores' personal account of his time leading the elite California Special Operations Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET). Hidden War brings to life the firsthand story of how America’s unsung heroes are fighting to keep our wild lands safe.