Agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), along with local law enforcement officers from across the state, have seized more than 30,000 marijuana plants so far this year, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said this week.
Each year, BCI agents help local law enforcement officers spot marijuana grows with the help of a helicopter between April and October, when growers typically plant and later harvest the drugs.
Experts at BCI estimate that a fully mature marijuana plant can be worth between $1,000 and $1,500 once processed and sold on the streets. Higher quality plants can fetch up to $2,000.
"Selling and buying marijuana not only leads to more crimes in our communities, but it is also a gateway drug that could lead users to try drugs like heroin and cocaine," DeWine said. "Drugs have destroyed too many lives, and we will do everything we can to prevent further tragedies."
More than 80 people were arrested in connection with this year's marijuana eradication efforts, which mostly focused on southern Ohio, where the growing season is longer with more rural terrain.
In Pike County, investigators seized more than 1,200 plants in August after finding a grow site with suspected ties to a Mexican drug cartel.
This year's marijuana eradication, however, did not turn up as many marijuana plants as 2011, when agents seized about 46,000 plants. The decrease is attributed, in part, due to this summer's high temperatures and lack of rain.
Comments
A waste of taxpayer money! Aviation fuel is big bucks, I sit and watch the planes fly their grids this fall over my beans. Crime increase is the result of "true Drugs" the opiate epidemic. BTW Mr. Dewine.the true gateway drug is legal,you probably make your comments while enjoying it also..Alcohol!
you nailed it!!
well if dewine was sincere about helping people who have been hurt by drugs, then why don't they go after the hard drugs like all the jackass losers who use heroin in norwalk and willard. Marijuana is not dangerous, how do these officers of the law even keep a straight a face when they say weed ruins peoples lives because it is dangerous, they are the ones who probably go down a 12 pack of beer everynight or a bottle of liquor and take prescription painkillers, people really need to wake up and realize that alcohol and painkillers, even tobacco are so much worse for you than weed, but then again that would take officials of the law to actually develop self thought and be educated on matters like this, rather than just go with the status quo of ridiculous thinking from the 50's, weed is not a gateway drug, it does not make you want to try anything else, the urge was already there, and alcohol would be more likely to lower your inhibitions about trying more hardcore drugs
The Govt. is just pissed because they aren't making all the money on the dope,they want to eliminate you making any money or growing your own without buying their drugs.
@ hit the road jack:
Through appropriated tax dollars and the confiscation of possessions, the govt. drug complex makes plenty of money.
The War on Drugs = Loss of Liberty and Freedom.
I don't get it whats so great about pot? I've never smoked or drank so, whats so great about it.
What always has confused me is, on one hand we as a nation are trying to do away with smoking cigarettes in nearly every area on this planet. We also, realize how harmful it is and the effects of it even 2nd hand smoke. Yet, there is this push to legalize MJ, which is just as harmful on your lungs over a long time of use and just as harmful to those around one not smoking it. I understand the mindset of it being ones life and ones choice, but in reality whats the real fight here for? Is it because the government says its illegal and people who smoke it think that its an intrusion into their lives? Whats next cocaine?
@ Dr. Information:
IMO, the fact that System D, the underground economy is the second largest in the world helps to demonstrate a disconnect between people's desire for wealth and freedom and their govts. need for tax revenue and societal control by the Elites.
http://www.freakonomics.com/2011...
IMO, there has to be a happy medium between the two.
ok moderators, what in my comment made you take it off, nowhere did i say anything offensive, good job, glad freedom of speech is allowed in the newspaper, way to go