Tip from hunter led to marijuana camp, arrests
Posted by Associated Press September 23, 2008 08:56AM
Categories: Courts and cops
GLADWIN (AP) - A tip from a hunter led to the discovery of 4,011 marijuana plants in Gladwin County and a camp for growers who took care of the pot, investigators said Monday.
Charges were filed against seven people in federal court in Bay City.
"There have been some large seizures on public land throughout the country. But 4,000 plants in Michigan - that's a large grow operation," said agent Richard Isaacson, spokesman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Detroit.
At the camp, there were tents, 100 pounds of flour, cooking oil, a tortilla press and instant noodles, the DEA said.
"I believe the supplies could have fed seven people for approximately one week," DEA agent Robert Derocher said in an affidavit filed in court.
On Sept. 17, a day after getting a call from a hunter, state Trooper William Arndt said he found hundreds of plants on state land in Gladwin County. By the end of the day, the final count was 4,011.
"They did an excellent job of keeping it hidden. The area has very, very light foot traffic," said Arndt, who estimated the street value of the marijuana at $4 million.
Three suspects were immediately arrested and another three were captured in a forest a mile away with help from Enzo, a police dog. The seventh defendant was arrested Friday about five miles east of Gladwin.