Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jul 2005
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph (WV)
Copyright: 2005 Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Contact:  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.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth