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Cartels Using Narco-Slaves to Grow Illegal Marijuana on Industrial Scale in Oregon

Cartels Using Narco-Slaves to Grow Illegal Marijuana on Industrial Scale in Oregon
An aerial photograph shows an illegal marijuana operation in Josephine County, Oregon. Courtesy of Josephine County Sheriff's Office
Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes
Freelance reporter
|Updated:

Seven years after Oregon legalized recreational marijuana, the market for cannabis is booming. But rather than propagate a legal agricultural sector that grows the state’s economy as intended, the industry has taken a dark turn in Southern Oregon.

Today, it’s cultivating an ecosystem of international organized crime, human trafficking, and environmental degradation.

Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes
Freelance reporter
Scottie Barnes writes breaking news and investigative pieces for The Epoch Times from the Pacific Northwest. She has a background in researching the implications of public policy and emerging technologies on areas ranging from homeland security and national defense to forestry and urban planning.
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