Pubdate: Sat, 21 Jul 2001
Source: Daily Press (VA)
Copyright: 2001 The Daily Press
Contact:  http://www.dailypress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/585

DRUG COPS SWOOP DOWN ON TOMATO PATCH

SALUDA, Va. (AP) - Glen Coberly was culling bad tomatoes from his 
vines when he saw the dark green helicopter circling.

Minutes later police cars converged on his Middlesex County home, and 
officers ordered Coberly and a friend to lie on the ground.

"They had their guns out," Coberly said of Wednesday's raid. After a 
minute or two he was told to get up, and someone started to read him 
his rights, he said. Meanwhile, one of the raiders examined the 
plants and determined they were tomatoes, not marijuana.

Sheriff Guy Abbott tapped him on the shoulder as he was leaving and 
said he was sorry for the mistake.

"We're just trying to do our best to protect our citizens," the 
sheriff said Thursday. "And we're not perfect; we make mistakes."

An officer in the helicopter told the Daily Press of Newport News 
that the operation involved the Middle Peninsula Drug Task Force, 
state police and the National Guard. They were flying over Middlesex 
looking for marijuana plants, said the officer, who asked not to be 
identified because he works undercover.

He said he and the helicopter pilot, who has flown numerous marijuana 
missions, believed the plants were marijuana because they were the 
right color.

As for marijuana, Coberly, 39, said, "I don't touch the stuff. But I 
do like tomatoes." He'll have more for himself this summer. His 
friend, who was visiting in hopes of picking up a few tomatoes, told 
him he would never come to see him again.
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