$4.3 Million Pot farm raided off Grand Avenue in DeLand

[FruityBud]

A drug investigation paid off Wednesday night, June 10, for narcotics agents who raided a large, walled-in compound near DeLand and seized about $4.3 million worth of marijuana.

The investigation led agents to a site of approximately 3.5 acres off Grand Avenue. The operation was surrounded by an 8-foot high wall.

Armed with a search warrant, agents with the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force raided the site at about 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.

In a house on the property, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said, 24 baby marijuana plants were found growing inside a bathtub.

Outside, agents found a huge storage shed partly converted into seven separate rooms devoted to growing marijuana, the Sheriff's Office reported. A total of 820 plants were harvested from six of the rooms. Some of the plants were as tall as 6 feet, according to the Sheriff's Office.Agents also seized about 9.6 pounds of cultivated marijuana.

When mature, the plants, along with the cultivated marijuana would have fetched approximately $4,268,000, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Agents also located growing equipment such as lights, fans, pots, soil and a generator along with various drug paraphernalia, including glass pipes, scales and magazines devoted to growing marijuana.

Richard Arthur, 58, was arrested on a charge of cultivation of marijuana and booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach. He was being held there today, June 11, on $25,000 bond, a jail spokeswoman said.

The Sheriff's Office said the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are expected.

In addition to the West Volusia Narcotics Task Force, agencies assisting in Wednesday’s operation included the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the police departments of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach and Port Orange, the East Volusia Narcotics Task Force and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation.

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[ArtVandolay]

Can someone translate $4.3 million into joints and bong hits so I can fully grasp the scale of this great bust?

 

[PencilHead]

I'm sooo glad this dummy lives nearby. Makes my dinky little 6-7 plant grows look like kid's play. Grow on, big man, grow on.

 

[420benny]

He must have had some killer A/C setup, wouldn't you think??

 

[Super Silver Haze]

another one bites the dust....this is becoming a weekly occurance here in fla.

 

[cubby]

I wish I knew the formular they use for calculating the weight and value of plants. They can't possibly factor in all the variables between seedling and harvest. There are considderations such as number of discarded males, weather, possible power failure, nute uptake, plant genetics, and I'm sure the members of this forum could immagine at least a thousand more.
Why don't the powers that be just say he/she/they had more than could possibly claimed as personal use?
But I would think if they don't come up with the highest exagerated number possible they might face a reduction in thier "drug war" funding.

 

[mrkingford]

Only 25,000 bond, not too bad for almost 10 lbs. plus 844 plants.
I've heard MUCH worse for MUCH less.

Although i keep getting back to that sex offender that they can't find cause he did'nt report his new address or job, instead they play games and waste resources and time with a harmless plant whiles he stalks another victim !

Then they stand tall and proud on the news, like they made a difference.

 

[cubby]

Only 25,000 bond, not too bad for almost 10 lbs. plus 844 plants.
I've heard MUCH worse for MUCH less.

Although i keep getting back to that sex offender that they can't find cause he did'nt report his new address or job, instead they play games and waste resources and time with a harmless plant whiles he stalks another victim !

Then they stand tall and proud on the news, like they made a difference.

Law enforcment budgets are'nt affected by the number of sex offenders they nab. As long as the federal gov. uses the power of the purse as a motivational device we'll continue to see public safety take a back seat to fiscal concerns. As far as I'm aware there are no forfiture laws dealing with sex offenders, murderers, or thieves. If the cops arrest a bank robber they have to give the money back to the bank, but if they bust a drug dealer/producer any cash/property is split between federal and local law enforcement. Local police departments use drug raids as a way of raising revenue to purchase new squad cars and equipment (most of wich they could do without if they just stuck to old fashioned investigative tactics instead of trying to be hi-tech heros).