By North County Times staff and wire reports | Posted: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 10:53 pm

SANTA YSABEL INDIAN RESERVATION ---- Federal agents on Tuesday seized about 25,000 marijuana plants growing in a remote area of the Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation, Drug Enforcement Administration officials said.

The plants, growing near the intersection of Highways 76 and 79, have an estimated street value of $75 million to $100 million, DEA spokeswoman Amy Roderick said.

The Narcotics Task Force, which also involves local and county police, participated in the operation, she said.

No arrests were made, Roderick said. She said the large and sophisticated operation was probably headed by a Mexican drug trafficking organization.

The tribe was not involved in the marijuana grow, authorities said.

Sheriff's Deputy Steve Reed told broadcast news reporters that the grow was discovered when reports came in about water lines that should not have been in that area of the reservation.

A campsite was also found, Roderick said.

The site was so remote that helicopters had to tote the torn-out plants to waiting trucks, according to broadcast reports.