Pubdate: Sat, 14 Jul 2007 Source: Herald-Sun, The (Durham, NC) Copyright: 2007 The Herald-Sun Contact: http://www.herald-sun.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1428 Author: Daniel Goldberg MARIJUANA HARVEST CONFISCATED HILLSBOROUGH -- Somewhere in North Carolina, some very enterprising marijuana enthusiasts just suffered a major buzz kill. On Friday, the Orange County Sheriff's Office announced the seizure of 1,197 marijuana plants spread across four plots in the northern part of the county. The operation was conducted in conjunction with a National Guard helicopter unit, which directed investigators to the plants. The helicopter unit, based at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, flew over the county and spotted the marijuana growing in suspected areas. Sheriff's investigators were then alerted during the operation, which took place on Thursday afternoon. Sheriff's Office Investigator Randy Hawkins said that based on a standard set by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency that appraises each plant at $1,000, the sheriff's office estimates the Thursday marijuana haul is worth more than $1 million. Hawkins said he could remember only one other marijuana harvest -- in the same part of Orange County -- of more than 1,000 plants. The aerial operation is "common all over the state," Hawkins said of this type of crackdown. "It's done once a year, but no, that amount is not common." Officers gathered the marijuana plants by pulling them from the ground or cutting them. Hawkins said it only took a couple of hours to "eradicate" the plants. The plants are being kept by the sheriff's office as evidence. No charges have been filed yet in the seizures and the sheriff's office said the investigation is continuing. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek