Pubdate: Sun, 04 Jun 2006
Source: Goldsboro News-Argus (NC)
Copyright: 2006, Goldsboro News-Argus
Contact:  http://www.newsargus.com/index.html
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/969
Author: Andrew Bell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

15,000 MARIJUANA PLANTS FOUND IN WAYNE

Helicopters flew over sections of western Wayne County throughout the 
day Friday guiding law enforcement officers to one of the largest 
marijuana seizures in the county's history.

The aerial search resulted in the location of 15,284 plants ranging 
in size from just a few inches to nearly 4 feet, said Lt. Tom Effler 
of the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

"It's pretty common to find smaller plots, but this is the largest 
amount of plants we've ever seen," Effler said.

The search began at 9:30 a.m. Friday when officers found a large plot 
of marijuana plants near Black Jack Church Road and four smaller 
plots near Ferry Bridge Road.

Sheriff Carey Winders said if the plants would have grown to 
maturity, the street value would have been more than $36.5 million.

The amount of plants makes it the largest marijuana raid in Wayne 
County history and the largest reported in North Carolina this year.

"I am proud that we were able to stop this drug from hitting the 
streets of Wayne County and North Carolina. We are continuously 
vigilant toward any type of drug problems on our streets or what 
could reach our communities. This is a prime example of teamwork 
between several agencies and departments, pooling their resources 
together for a good cause," Winders said.

A sheriff's helicopter, a National Guard helicopter and a State 
Bureau of Investigations plane joined the search and assisted the 
sheriff's search and rescue team, volunteers and the Goldsboro-Wayne 
drug squad in finding the plants, Effler said.

Officers wouldn't have been able to get to the marijuana plots 
without the assistance of the state forestry department, whose plow 
allowed access to the plants near Ferry Bridge Road.

Effler said the Sheriff's Office finds large marijuana plots through 
tips from informants or locating the plants using available 
helicopters. He did not specify which method led investigators to the 
marijuana plots.

Authorities have not determined who grew the plants, but Effler said 
an investigation is under way.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman