ANNUAL MARIJUANA ERADICATION EFFORTS UNDERWAY

BLOUNTVILLE -- Sullivan County authorities and police across the Virginia
line in neighboring Scott County have seized marijuana plants this week as
summer eradication efforts hit high gear. In helicopters and on the ground,
authorities are probing the rolling hills and valleys of the region for the
illegal weed, which is cured and smoked like tobacco.

By far, the most plants -- more than 3,800 of them worth an estimated $3
million -- were seized in Scott County, authorities said.

"We had several choppers in the air," Scott County sheriff's Investigator
Terry Sivert said of a joint effort among the Sheriff's Office, the
Virginia State Police, the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force and the Army
National Guard.

"Right now is a prime time," he said. "It's growing to the point you can
really spot it from the air."

Sivert said the plants ranged in size from about 2 feet tall to 8 feet and
probably were planted in late spring. He said authorities on Wednesday
found and confiscated 3,860 pot plants in the Big Moccasin community, which
is near Nickelsville close to the Russell County line.

No arrests had been made Friday or were imminent, Sivert said, but he said
the investigation was continuing. Sivert said the plants were spread across
more than an acre of privately owned land.

Meanwhile, Sullivan County authorities have confiscated 208 plants worth a
police estimate of $246,000.

Sullivan County sheriff's Capt. Johnny Murray said the Sheriff's Office and
the Governor's Task Force on Marijuana Eradication found marijuana plants
in various locations from the Central High School area eastward and on both
privately owned and public land.

"All plants were found in areas that had access to a lot of people," he said.

Brian Boling, a special operations deputy who worked in the eradication
effort, said some charges could come from the seizures.

"We're not able to make charges on every patch," he said. "The plants could
be on government property, and its hard to make a case on that." Marijuana
is visible from the sky thanks to its singular shade of green, Boling said.
"The coloration is different, so the plant is spotted fairly easily unless
it's hidden," he said. "But it has to have sunlight, so its pretty visible
from air."

Staff Writer Jason Reeves contributed to this report.