Mexican drug cartel blamed for six marijuana operations in Green County

TULSA - On Friday morning, authorities busted a huge marijuana growing operation in Wagoner County.

State narcotics agents say it joins a list of major arrests in the past year-and-a-half.

On May 6th, Nowata County Sheriff's Deputies seized millions of dollars worth of marijuana from a growing operation hidden in a forest.

"It's very extensive. What we're standing in right now is going to be the seventh field that we've come across today so far, and we believe this is going to be the last one," Undersheriff Doug Sonenberg told 2NEWS that day.

More than 30,000 plants were found on the property.

Last week, detectives took Tony and Amy Randolph into custody for an alleged operation near a Bixby elementary school.

Then on Friday, 400 marijuana plants were seized from inside a home near 31st Street and South 207th East Avenue; detectives say there was an extensive set up.

Investigators arrested 29-year-old Ricky Do Mai; they're following up some leads which could lead to more arrests.

"Marijuana is still the number one choice of drugs," David Hale said.  He is the Agent in Charge of this area for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics.

He says marijuana far out paces the methamphetamine problem.

"Marijuana is just something that people can grow in their own yard, they can grow in their house. That's why I think there's still more of a problem with marijuana," Agent Hale said.

Agent Hale told 2NEWS his team has tied three cases from this year and another three cases from last year to the Mexican Drug Cartel.

It's the same group blamed for the violence south of the United States border.

"They were in North Texas a lot. They were in California for years and now they're doing the same type of grow operations in Oklahoma," Agent Hale said.