US State News
Switzerland County, Ind. — The Indiana State Police issued the following news release:
Indiana State Police along with Switzerland County Sheriff’s Deputies and officers from the Vevay Police Department acting on information from Indiana Conservation Officers eradicated an Indiana state record number of marijuana plants for one single growing operation. Approximately two weeks ago Indiana Conservation Officers discovered a large plot of marijuana on Green Valley Road off S.R. 56 in Switzerland County. Conservation Officers eradicated 864 plants from that plot and later made contact with Trooper Noel Kinney, Indiana State Police Versailles District Marijuana Eradication Coordinator and recommended he do a “fly over” the area his first opportunity to check for other plants.
Due to scheduling conflicts, Tpr. Kinney wasn’t able to arrange a flight until Thursday, September 15. While flying in Indiana National Guard helicopters, state police and National Guard spotters discovered several other plots in the area. Thursday troopers, Switzerland County Sheriff’s Deputies and officers from the Vevay Police Department eradicated over 3,700 plants and had to shut down operations for the day due to darkness. Troopers, deputies, and local police worked all day on Friday, September 16 and at the end of the day the count was over 10,000 plants. Once again troopers, deputies, and local officers worked all day today and at the end of the day the total eradicated for the three day operation was 24,877 plants. When added to the 864 plants eradicated two weeks earlier by conservation officers the total number of plants exceeded 25,700, an Indiana record for a single outdoor growing operation. Tpr. Kinney said marijuana sells for anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 dollars per pound depending on the quality of the product. He also said each plant could easily yield a pound of marijuana making this grow a multimillion dollar operation.
Tpr. Kinney indicated there were a total of 10 different plots; the one plot discovered by conservation officers along with nine other plots discovered over the last few days. Tpr. Kinney also said because of the close proximity of the plots along with evidence found in the area, he believes the 10 plots were all part of the same growing operation.
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