For the second time in less than a month, a not-so-well-hidden marijuana garden was busted by narcotics agents in Salt Lake County.

Overall, it's the sixth outdoor marijuana growing operation shut down in Utah over the past two months.

Salt Lake County sheriff deputies received a tip Thursday of possible outdoor marijuana in the yard of a house near 5100 South and 3800 West. When officers arrived, it didn't take them long to find the problem.

"They could smell the marijuana," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Rex Mulholland.

Deputies moved around the house where they could look in the back yard and saw marijuana plants growing in a garden next to several tomato plants. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies went into the back yard and seized 62 plants, some 5 to 6 feet tall, as well as some marijuana inside the house that had already been packaged and was ready to distribute, Mulholland said.

Because the plants were budding, the odor in the area was very strong, he said.

Deputies also recovered more than a half-dozen handguns, rifles and shotguns as well as $100,000 cash. Investigators found a hydroponic growing operation being set up in the garage that was ready to start growing marijuana plants during the winter, Mulholland said.

A 34-year-old woman was arrested and booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of drug possession and the manufacturing and cultivation of marijuana.

Two weeks ago, Sandy police busted a 44-year-old man who reportedly was growing marijuana plants in his back yard, in plain view, near 10400 South and 700 East.

In September, Draper police discovered a marijuana operation in Corner Canyon. At the time, police said they wouldn't be surprised if there were other marijuana busts in the near future since September and October are the harvesting months in Utah for illegal marijuana growers.

Other pot busts over the past two months have happened near Cedar City, Oak Grove and New Harmony.

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