Mexico City, October 12 (RHC-EFE)-- The Federal Police found and destroyed 300 tons of marijuana in Balleza, a city in the northern state of Chihuahua, the Mexican National Security Commission said.

“The plantations were spread out over a surface of approximately 94,629 sq. meters (23 acres), with a density of seven plants per square meter. The approximate weight of the 662,000 plants reached 300,000 kilos,” the commission said in a statement.

Federal Police officers conducted surveillance flights around Balleza after obtaining intelligence about marijuana plantations in the area.

Officers spotted eight plots of land planted with marijuana, the commission said.

Ground units confirmed the existence of the illegal plantations and the marijuana plants “were pulled up by the roots so they could later be incinerated,” the National Security Commission said.

Federal prosecutors oversaw the marijuana plants’ destruction and are investigating the illegal plantations.