37 people arrested for marijuana 'grow site' run by a Mexican drug gang near St. George, police say

ST. GEORGE — Thirty-seven people, many Mexican nationals, have been arrested and jailed after a drug bust at a marijuana “grow site” northwest of Veyo that officials say was being operated by a Mexican drug trafficking organization.

The Saturday bust was concluded without incident, said Lt. Rob Tersigni of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in a statement. “While numerous suspects were captured, there may be additional subjects still at large in the area. Avoid picking up hitchhikers and report any suspicious activity.”

Police believe the marijuana grow, which is located in Cove Wash near General Steam Road, is related to three similar operations taken down in 2010.

“Numerous subjects were encountered and apprehended inside the grow,” who are suspected of affiliation with a transnational drug trafficking organization with operations based out of Southern California and Nevada, according to the statement.

Officers used a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter to help apprehend the suspects and to sling marijuana plants out of the site for disposal. Just how many marijuana plants have been seized is not yet known.

Some 70 state, local and federal law enforcement officers took part in the operation. Those included officers from the Washington County Area Task Force, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Forest Service, the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and others.

The suspects were booked into the Washington County Jail Saturday.

E-mail: lbrubaker@desnews.com