Police say marijuana growing operations in southern Indiana are easy to spot from the air because of the drought.

An airplane pilot guided troopers on the ground through browning forests and corn fields Tuesday to uncover grow sites in several counties. The troopers cut down more than 100 marijuana plants.

Officer Jerry Goodin told The Courier-Journal the resilient green marijuana plants "stick out like a sore thumb."

Trooper Mike Bennett told The News and Tribune that marijuana can flourish in harsh conditions, saying, "It's not called weed for nothing."

Bennett says the seized plants will be destroyed once a burn ban is lifted.

He says the owners of property where marijuana grows are rarely arrested, because most "have no idea that it's growing on their land."

AP