Sheriff's Deputies Make Big Pot Bust In Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ) - The Wayne County Sheriffs department have shut down a major marijuana-growing operation in Detroit.
On Saturday around 1pm, Sheriffs deputies - with assistance from ATF agents and DTE Energy - raided an abandoned building on Lorraine Street near Warren Ave., just west of the city's midtown area. Wayne County Sheriffs spokeswoman Paula Bridges told WWJ it started with a tip from a resident to Sheriff Benny Napolean about a possible illegal operation. A narcotics team investigated for a couple of weeks, finding what the Sheriffs office calls "a massive marijuana-grow operation," according to Bridges. Investigators believe the operation may have been going on since November.
"Very elaborate operation. They had rigged up quite a bit of electronics including brand new air conditioners, humidifiers. They had electronics that maintained 24-hour electricity for the light to grow the marijuana plants," says Bridges. She notes that deputies and agents confiscated up to 1300 varieties of marijuana plants, as well as the electronics and growing equipment. "This was a very intricate system. They had invested a lot of money in this operation," says Bridges. She says the marijuana had a street value of at least $750,000.
Four people were arrested in the drug bust, and they are expected to be arraigned this week. One handgun was also confiscated, as well as 3 dogs that were turned over to the Michigan Humane Society. "Our investigators who are seasoned veterans in narcotics investigation, as far as Wayne County investigations are concerned, this probably is the most extensive, elaborate set up that they've seen to date," says Bridges.
Bridges says the Sheriffs Office continues to encourage residents to report illegal activity or suspicious behavior in their neighborhoods to the Sheriffs department's anonymous tip line, 313-833-3190.
