slumdog80
Well-Known Member
Two people are expected to face charges of operating a major drug-manufacturing operation after a raid that netted up to $3 million worth of marijuana.I think this is going to be one of the largest, if not the largest criminal operation the department has investigated, St. Clair County Sheriff Tim Donnellon said.
The 35-year-old man and 28-year-old woman were arrested late Friday after a raid near State and Metcalf roads in Fort Gratiot. Police found a greenhouse that contained 72 mature marijuana plants, most 12 to 15 feet tall, and 50 pounds of processed marijuana.
Investigators raided the 130-foot-by-30-foot greenhouse in the 5500 block of State Road, as well as a factory in the 500 block of Memphis Ridge Road in Riley Township where 71 more plants were seized.
The St. Clair County Drug Task Force and the city-county major crimes unit found a dozen more marijuana plants at a home in the 3000 block of Elk Street in Port Huron, and several pounds of processed marijuana at a search in the 2600 block of 18th Avenue in Port Huron.
This is a criminal enterprise in every sense of the word, Donnellon said.
Drug Task Force Lt. Kevin Manns said investigators believe the couple had been selling the marijuana throughout multiple counties.
He and Donnellon declined to comment on how the enterprise was discovered.
The man and woman have been released from custody pending warrants. T
he investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible, Donnellon said.
Along with the marijuana plants, investigators also seized three vehicles, trailers, three ATVs, a snowmobile, a motorcycle, a 33-foot boat and other property.
While the man has a medical marijuana user card and the woman has a card to be a caregiver, Donnellon said the amount of marijuana seized far exceeds any card holders legal limit.
Designated caregivers can acquire 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and grow up to 12 plants for a qualifying patient, with a limit of five patients, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Donnellon said he couldnt go into detail, but said he believes any documentation the suspects have is being abused.
We believe hes manipulating the system, he said. This is a criminal enterprise.
Port Huron Police Capt. Jeff Baker said it is discouraging to know that much marijuana is being distributed throughout the area.
But by collaborating efforts between the agencies, sizable operations can be taken down.
This is a very large seizure for St. Clair County, he said
The 35-year-old man and 28-year-old woman were arrested late Friday after a raid near State and Metcalf roads in Fort Gratiot. Police found a greenhouse that contained 72 mature marijuana plants, most 12 to 15 feet tall, and 50 pounds of processed marijuana.
Investigators raided the 130-foot-by-30-foot greenhouse in the 5500 block of State Road, as well as a factory in the 500 block of Memphis Ridge Road in Riley Township where 71 more plants were seized.
The St. Clair County Drug Task Force and the city-county major crimes unit found a dozen more marijuana plants at a home in the 3000 block of Elk Street in Port Huron, and several pounds of processed marijuana at a search in the 2600 block of 18th Avenue in Port Huron.
This is a criminal enterprise in every sense of the word, Donnellon said.
Drug Task Force Lt. Kevin Manns said investigators believe the couple had been selling the marijuana throughout multiple counties.
He and Donnellon declined to comment on how the enterprise was discovered.
The man and woman have been released from custody pending warrants. T
he investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible, Donnellon said.
Along with the marijuana plants, investigators also seized three vehicles, trailers, three ATVs, a snowmobile, a motorcycle, a 33-foot boat and other property.
While the man has a medical marijuana user card and the woman has a card to be a caregiver, Donnellon said the amount of marijuana seized far exceeds any card holders legal limit.
Designated caregivers can acquire 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and grow up to 12 plants for a qualifying patient, with a limit of five patients, according to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
Donnellon said he couldnt go into detail, but said he believes any documentation the suspects have is being abused.
We believe hes manipulating the system, he said. This is a criminal enterprise.
Port Huron Police Capt. Jeff Baker said it is discouraging to know that much marijuana is being distributed throughout the area.
But by collaborating efforts between the agencies, sizable operations can be taken down.
This is a very large seizure for St. Clair County, he said
IMO. Sadly the government, court and LEO agendas fail to both acknowledge nor respect these facts of the "law" and simply act as if Federal Class I Narcotic categorization of such is not absurd. The "War on Drugs" profitability and abuse simply can no longer be denied or tolerated.