[420 Girl]

In a five-county sting, the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team has recovered 4,241 marijuana plants in recent weeks with a street value of $4,241,000.

About 1,430 of those plants were found in just Isabella and Clare counties, officials announced today at press conference in Saginaw.

Since investigations began in August, 25 people who have arrested are facing criminal charges for manufacturing marijuana. Eight of those people were arrested for growing in Isabella County.

“This is a big year for us with the confiscation of marijuana in farm fields, ditch lines and farm lines,” said Melvin Matthews, BAYANET section commander. “This year had a good rainy season. A lot of people were aware this stuff was growing out there. They contact us; we got tips.”

BAYANET collaborated with the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit and National Guard Raid Team in what has been dubbed the Domestic Cannabis/Hemp Eradication Program.

The most recent arrest was in Shepherd Wednesday, Mathews said. Arrests were also made in Midland, Bay, Saginaw and Clare counties.

Plants seized were mainly found growing on farms at the edges of wooded areas and fields. Marijuana plants are easy to spot during fly-overs when fall comes, Mathews said, as traditional crops are harvested.

“This has a negative impact on quality of life in this area,” said Michigan State Police Inspector Dan Bateman. “It’s always an ongoing battle. It’s always this kind of seizure that people expect to see.”

Mioduszewski said none of the plants found were from farms authorized for the growth of medical marijuana, as those farms are required to be fenced and locked in.

“A large majority of it was up in the northern part,” Mioduszewski said of the plants found in Isabella County.


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:Central Michigan Life | The independent student newspaper of Central Michigan University
Author: Maryellen Tighe
Contact: Contact Us | Central Michigan Life
Copyright: 2010 Central Michigan Life
Website:Five-county sting recovers $4.2 million worth of marijuana; eight people arrested in Isabella County for growing | Central Michigan Life


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