Investigation continues into $9 million Washington County pot harvest
drugs

Investigation continues into $9 million Washington County pot harvest


TOWNSHIP 37, Maine — The investigation is still active and ongoing into a major marijuana growing operation discovered in remote Washington County earlier this fall.

“The investigation is progressing well,” Darryl Crandall, northern division commander of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency said this weekend. Although Crandall remained tight-lipped about possible leads, he said “things are going well.”

Crandall said the investigation is a joint state and federal operation.

In September, more than 60 law enforcement officers spent nearly a week harvesting a high-quality marijuana crop in Township 37, near the town of Wesley, and about 10 miles off Route 9.

The harvested crop was estimated to have a value of $9 million.

The massive pot plantation was found after a tip was left on the Maine State Police Troop J Web site. When police flew a plane over the operation, people on the ground set fire to several buildings being used as dormitories. The people fled and have not been identified.

MDEA officials categorized the size, scope and detail of the operation as quite surprising. They said the plants — many of them eight feet tall and highly cultivated — were of extremely high quality.

At the time of the confiscation, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Roy McKinney said, “We have never seen this type of operation in Maine before.” He confirmed that it was a plantation or farm, where caretakers of the crop lived 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “These are the types of operations we see on the West Coast. In Maine, when marijuana is grown in remote locations, someone usually hikes in and checks it periodically. These growers were living right here” There were seven buildings in the farm area.

The final tally was 3,000 plants, each with a value of $3,000.

Crandall said the property is owned by a logging company but would not identify the company nor confirm whether company officials were aware of the growing operation.

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Comments
37 comments on this item

Bet those guys are still bummed out that they lost that crop!!

I bet Mr. H C Haynes wishes he knew all that pot was in his back yard.......:)

Herbie has been dead for two years now, genius.

But officer. It's just for medicinal perposes.

I stopped by there the other day to see if there were any left overs. Couldnt find 1 leaf.

Now that the state has it all in their warehouse, they can open up "State Dispensaries"

Excellent idea Hoss.. Save the taxpayers some money,... But most of it got burnt up.......

i would be willing to bet not all of it got burnt. i'm sure some got lost i'm sure.

I hear you Anthoine..

I'm sure some samples made it into some folk's pockets.

To bad the morons didn't do a better job of investigating the plot at first. If they would taken their time they might have caught them red handed. But nooo the idiots had to fly over and wave the red flag and let them know they are coming. That's all you heard for the longest time on the news, the cops tooting their horn that they confiscated a bunch of plants. Last I knew the key was to catch the ones growing it. Legalize it and get it over with!

just think what we could do with a 20% tax on a legalized pot crop!

Remember the saying, it takes money to make money.......

9 million dollars worth? Yeah and a loaf of bread is $500.00, too funny.

$3,000 per plant, they're probably also counting the weight of the root ball.

Cops ALWAYS push the value of their confiscated plants to elicit more pats on the back.

Yes, GOOD bacon.......

LEGALIZE IT.

There's a rumour going around that it was a Mexican Cartel growing operation. To avoid the issues of getting large quantities across the border, they're now setting up illegals to grow the weed on private or government remote lands. Very small investment with a very large profit.

lol funk. he did

funny how the drug stories always get the most posts......all the &#cktard potheads seem to know it all don't they....they should take there concerted allbeit stupid remarks and focus on things that have some meaning in life, instead of where there gonna get there next score from, now that all this pot has been taken from the county where they live....guess you will have to look in Hancock county now, but expect to get caught if you do.....were waiting for the influx of potheads to hit the streets here, SO BE CAREFUL IN YOUR NEXT SEARCH BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHOM YOUR BUYING FROM ;~)......

hey brooks im almost out you got bag i can get off ya? LMAO!

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I am so glad we are being saved from this horrible POT problem... Just leave my OXY alone!

Brooks, get the turd out of your mouth so we can understand you pls........

Complete waste of resources - police time, potential tax revenue. Destroying this crop did nothing to increase public safety, just kept a few extra cops employed for a few days.

Back when I was a boy, and my Aunt lived in East Chatham New York, The Columbia County road crews used to burn the marijuana which grew wild on the side of the road. They stopped when they noticed that teenagers were congregating where they were burning. At one of the schools I attended, a rumor was created that you could get high from drying and smoking banana peels. The school began serving bananas with the peels removed they then put the banana peels in special bags sent down from Albany, and burned them in the school incinerator. Government action in this area is just plain stupid.

9 Million??

I call BS

9 million?? Someone should press someone on how they arrived at that value. Should make for some amusing read.

yeah right 9 mil.ive seen some good weed in my life but a z would cost 5 clams if you base it on there value,yeah right.legalize the green.peace

Who owns this property?????

What a waste.....Use the pot to start the medical distribution points instead of burning it all up. And If you are going to burn it where will you be ? I will be downwind.

If it is legalized...why can't it be grown...perhaps they were anticipating the yes vote on the medical purpose???? A businessman???? I have seen much worse ethics/morals in business and politics than growing pot for profit.

Jay where R U ????????????????????

I'm sure there have been many drug tips left on the Maine State Police website, but obvisously, they have not invested the time or manpower to investigate these tips. There are far more serious drugs on the streets than pot and nothing as extensive as this ever goes on.....especially in Washington County!!!!!

We have a 400 million State Budget Gap.

We have a 8.5 % unemployment rate,

60,000 Mainers are out of work!

The State is going to be making massive cuts to all sectors of Government that effects all it's citizens.

How long are we going to keep up this charade???!!!

Would we rather make cuts to Health and Human Services that affect our elderly, our children, our disabled?

Would we rather make cuts to Education and hinder our children from reaching their fullest potential?

Would we rather make cuts to Law Enforcement, to Transportation, to Environmental Protection, to our State Parks, to our quality of Life,

-

Or would we rather LEGALIZE, REGULATE, and TAX CANNABIS?

The time has come! The people are ready! Maine needs a new vision!

Lets embrace the Green Economy! Industrial Hemp can create Green jobs, Green products, and sustainability!

A marijuana industry, regulated for consumption strictly for adults 21 yrs, like the alcohol industry can be achieved!

A marijuana sales tax could balance the State budget without having to make government cuts to our most vulnerable of citizens.

Enough of this Charade!

What do we value more? Marijuana prohibition or the well being of Maine Citizens?

We have a choice!

Legalization, Regulation, Taxation! Yes we CANNABIS!!!!

Maybe that's what it cost the state to get rid of it.....what a waste of money. It's a cash crop, why wouldn't they want to

take advantage of that. With marijuana people could have jobs. You can smoke it, eat it(would make me eat my green veggies).

Tax the sales but let it grow freely. Stop this civil war now. Make room in the jails for violent offenders. Save some money AND make the streets safer.

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