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PUEBLO COUNTY, COLO. -- Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor is warning marijuana legalization activists of the potential dangers of legalizing the drug after deputies uncovered a $15 million marijuana operation that included more than 7,000 plants.

Taylor's team, which first discovered the marijuana grow in the San Isabel National Forest off Highway 165 in Rye back in January, collected evidence leading them to believe it is a Mexican drug cartel operation.

“If you don’t think they’re here, they are and if we pass Amendment 64, there’s going to be a lot more of them,” Taylor said in a statement released by his office Thursday following the first two arrests linked to the operation.

Amendment 64 will appear on the Colorado ballot in November and will ask voters whether or not to legalize marijuana.

The grow was first discovered by a snow-shoer in the area in January and was first reported as a meth lab. Deputies thought it was a former marijuana cultivation site until investigating further once the snow melted in May.

Deputies found two sophisticated marijuana operations that included water pumps, irrigation lines and fertilizer - all strategically placed to gather sunlight, water and be concealed.

In June, detectives went into the sites and found plants that had grown to 12-18 inches high. They also saw people in the area but did not make any arrests at that time.

The U.S. Forest Service found two more grow sites while flying over the area earlier this month. The original purpose of the flyover was to check for beetle kill and tree damage.

They also saw a man in camouflage in the area, and deputies got a search warrant.

Nine agencies assisted in searching the area Wednesday. They found two marijuana grow sites that were larger than anticipated, and deputies think it's only the beginning of the estimated $15 million operation.

Two men, 32-year-old Luis Leon-Tober and 29-year-old Abel Resendiz-Soto, were arrested at the scene.  Four others ran away and were not found, but deputies said they are likely not a threat to citizens.

Tober and Soto will be charged with unlawful distribution of 100 pounds or more of marijuana, illegal cultivation of marijuana 30 or more plants, illegal possession of marijuana more than 12 ounces and second degree criminal trespass.