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SAGINAW TWP. – Of about 4,500 marijuana plants seized by a six-county drug enforcement collaborative during an effort that began in August, 35 percent were grown in Saginaw County.
Friday morning, leaders representing many of the agencies that have officers with the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team stood before a black trailer attached to an SUV in the parking lot of the Saginaw Township Fire Department station at 6171 Shattuck in Saginaw Township.
And behind them, 4,000 plants, most several feet long, lay in a green mound nearly as high as their heads.
All of the plants were located outdoors using tips from the community or overhead surveillance provided with the assistance of the U.S. National Guard Raid Team and the State Police Aviation Unit, said State Police Detective 1st Lt. Melvin Mathews, leader of the enforcement team.
He said the value of the seizure is about $4.24 million and each plant could have potentially produced about one pound of usable marijuana.
The agency arrested 24 suspects in five counties, including six in Saginaw.
Mathews said no medical marijuana patients were arrested or involved in the growing operations, which took place primarily in farm fields, ditches and dried river beds – some a few plants and others with dozens or more plants.
Mathews said the pile would soon be burned at an unnamed location inside an air-filtered incinerator.
Marijuana isn't the agency's sole target but was the focus of the latest operation, named the Domestic/Hemp Eradication Program, Mathews said.
Mathews said ecstasy, heroin, crack, cocaine, guns, illegal prescription pills – which Mathews said are quickly becoming the biggest problem in the area – and other narcotics are also their focus.
Saginaw Township Police Chief Donald F. Pussehl Jr. said these seizures have an impact in his suburb.
"Someone is growing that stuff for a reason," he said. "They're going to cultivate it and sell it to the kids in our neighborhoods."
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
Author: Gus Burns
Contact: Contact Us - MLive.com
Copyright: 2010 Michigan Live LLC
Website:Marijuana eradication program displays heaping trailer of pot in Saginaw Township | MLive.com
Friday morning, leaders representing many of the agencies that have officers with the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team stood before a black trailer attached to an SUV in the parking lot of the Saginaw Township Fire Department station at 6171 Shattuck in Saginaw Township.
And behind them, 4,000 plants, most several feet long, lay in a green mound nearly as high as their heads.
All of the plants were located outdoors using tips from the community or overhead surveillance provided with the assistance of the U.S. National Guard Raid Team and the State Police Aviation Unit, said State Police Detective 1st Lt. Melvin Mathews, leader of the enforcement team.
He said the value of the seizure is about $4.24 million and each plant could have potentially produced about one pound of usable marijuana.
The agency arrested 24 suspects in five counties, including six in Saginaw.
Mathews said no medical marijuana patients were arrested or involved in the growing operations, which took place primarily in farm fields, ditches and dried river beds – some a few plants and others with dozens or more plants.
Mathews said the pile would soon be burned at an unnamed location inside an air-filtered incinerator.
Marijuana isn't the agency's sole target but was the focus of the latest operation, named the Domestic/Hemp Eradication Program, Mathews said.
Mathews said ecstasy, heroin, crack, cocaine, guns, illegal prescription pills – which Mathews said are quickly becoming the biggest problem in the area – and other narcotics are also their focus.
Saginaw Township Police Chief Donald F. Pussehl Jr. said these seizures have an impact in his suburb.
"Someone is growing that stuff for a reason," he said. "They're going to cultivate it and sell it to the kids in our neighborhoods."
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:Michigan Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - MLive.com
Author: Gus Burns
Contact: Contact Us - MLive.com
Copyright: 2010 Michigan Live LLC
Website:Marijuana eradication program displays heaping trailer of pot in Saginaw Township | MLive.com
