Police and federal agents in Massachusetts uncovered a 'lot of marijuana' in a massive drug bust on a home-grow operation.
Holyoke Police were recently contacted by a narcotics agent working with the federal drug enforcement administration task force, tipping them off to suspicious behaviour at 107 Cross Road.
'I was advised that 107 Cross Road was the location of an illegal marijuana grow investigation,' Holyoke Police Captain Matthew Moriarty said.
As per Western Mass News, police believed there was enough probable cause to attain a search warrant for the property, at which point they carried out the raid and stumbled on a jaw-dropping amount of drugs.
'During that search warrant they seized at least 800lb of marijuana, if not more, which would result in a street value of $1.6 million,' Moriarty said.
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The homeowners weren't present at the time of the bust, with investigators still trying to locate them at the time of writing.
However, this haul does come on the heels of another busted grow operation in Granby. Haolin Yu, 30, of Brooklyn, New York, was arrested just last month after growing nearly 1,400lb of marijuana.
'Recently in several areas, there have been similar investigations and results going on. I think with anything that you will always have to deal with the black market,' Moriarty added.
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For reference, Massachusetts isn't a hard-line marijuana state. Currently, any adults over the age of 21 can legally possess and use cannabis. You don't even need to be a state resident to do so, you just need to show a government ID.
However, the kicker comes with how much one is allowed to have at any one time. 'You may possess up to one ounce of weed and up to five grams of marijuana concentrate outside of your home or in your vehicle, as long as it's kept in a closed and sealed container or a locked trunk. You may give up to one ounce to another person over age 18,' the state's tourism website notes.
As for home cultivation, the government's website is crystal clear: you must be at least 21 years old; you can only grow up to six plants in your home; if there's more than one person over 21 living in the home who wants to grow at home, the maximum number of plants that may be grown in a home is 12 plants; and you can't use liquid or gas, other than alcohol, with flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit to manufacture marijuana.
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Cameron Frew