The 14 suspects arrested last month at an illegal marijuana grow operation near Rifle will not be formally charged at this time.
The District Attorney’s office announced Wednesday that there is not enough evidence to file charges against the workers found on the 40-acre property.
It was initially reported that the Chinese nationals were possibly victims of human trafficking and were forced into slave labor harvesting the plants. But the DA’s office said the workers were probably brought in to work on the property much like migrant workers would be.
When law enforcement made the bust on Sept. 19, roughly a half dozen suspects fled on foot and have not been caught. Up to 1,000 plants were seized.
The investigation is ongoing and may result in charges in the future.