Pot times July 16, 2005

More Marijuana Found In McDowell

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1121/a06.html
Newshawk: chip

Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jul 2005
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Contact: news@bdtonline.com
Website: http://www.bdtonline.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1483
Author: Charles Owens and BILL ARCHER
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

MORE MARIJUANA FOUND IN MCDOWELL

WELCH - Authorities in McDowell County are experiencing "marijuana-mania," as they again uncovered several thousand dollars worth of the illegal plants.

Although the peak growing season is still weeks away, authorities have located marijuana plants in five different locations across the county in the past few days.  The most recent plants were discovered by Deputy R.K.  Auville with assistance by the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, Sheriff Danny Mitchell said.

"We are not in the peak season yet," Mitchell said.  "We won't hit the peak season until August.  But what you are getting is your small plants.  You are getting them in their first stages of growth.  We have been lucky.  We've had a lot of information from people in the communities that are helping us out and help us to take care of the problem."

Auville found 20 marijuana plants near the top of Coon Branch Mountain after acting upon a anonymous tip.  The street value of the crop is about $2,000 a plant.  Auville and the task force members also recovered an additional 32 marijuana plants with a street value of up to $2,000 per crop in the Three Forks area of the county while working on an unrelated investigation.

Auville said an ongoing investigation is continuing with charges pending.

Although a helicopter is normally used each year to help locate the illegal plants, Mitchell said help from the public is critical.

"Once a year normally the National Guard will come down with the state police and we will do fly-overs, and we have found some pretty large patches in the past," Mitchell said.  "But mostly we get information from people in the community.  A lot of your hunters - your ginseng hunters - will find them.  We are also getting some indoor grows, but normally it is the first part of the year.  We appreciate the information we receive from the communities, and we hope to continue to have your support in giving us information, and helping us to stop it."

Troopers with the Welch Detachment of the West Virginia State Police netted marijuana plants with a street value of more than $104,000 during the course of two raids over the weekend.  That amount grew on Tuesday as Sgt.  G.A.  Bishop, commander of the Welch Detachment of the West Virginia State Police joined McDowell County Conservation Officer Gabriel Wood confiscated 20 marijuana plants at an undisclosed remote location in the county.