Cannabis Cowboys

Over four million pot plants destroyed, this season alone. Squads of law enforcement officials spend each fall eradicating plants from thousands of illegal pot farms. The cops say most are operated by Mexican cartels. They figure it's easier to grow the weed here then it is to try and smuggle it across the border.

Finding the pot farms is the easy part - they can be fairly easily spotted from the air. But getting to them is where it gets tough. Many are in very rugged, remote areas

Correspondent John Larson went on a search and destroy mission with a group of elite officers we call the Cannabis Cowboys.

This story was part of our duPont-Columbia award winning series on marijuana in Southern California.