Detectives found more than 44,000 poppy plants in two Oregon counties this month. An organized drug cartel could be behind the secret poppy fields to test for a heroin source.

PORTLAND, Ore. – Detectives in two Oregon counties uncovered more than 44,000 poppy plants this month that could have been planted by an organized drug cartel.

A logger discovered 24,000 poppies last week in a forest outside Willamina, with opiates worth more than $90,000 on the street. Earlier this month, 12,000 poppy plants were found in Yamhill County and 8,000 were found in Linn County for a total of $165,000 worth of potential drugs.

Capt. Rob Edgell of the McMinnville Police Department said these poppy fields could be a test crop to see how well poppies grow in the Oregon soil. If the operation is successful, more secret poppy fields could blossom in the area.

“What’s interesting about this is detectives think drug dealers may be using Oregon as a testing ground for the source of heroin,” said Captain Rob Edgell from the McMinnville Police Department

Edgell believes an organized drug cartel would have harvested the Oregon poppies, shipped them to Mexico for processing and finally smuggle them back into the United States.

“There’s a lot of evidence that shows that money is funding their methamphetamine labs and meth production,” said Edgell. “So you’re looking at marijuana, meth and now heroin.”

With several more months of good weather and Oregon’s ideal topography, investigators anticipate finding more secret poppy farms.