SMOKE LEADS POLICE TO MARIJUANA LAB

HOLLYWOOD(FL) - A Hollywood home with $300,000 worth of marijuana
almost went up in smoke Sunday night.

Shortly before 6 p.m., someone called to say there was smoke coming
from a house in the 1500 block of North 70th Way, Hollywood police
spokesman Capt. Tony Rode said. Responding firefighters and police
saw no flames, but did see smoke inside, Rode said.

No one was home, and hurricane shutters covered some windows, Rode
said. Firefighters went inside and saw a full-blown hydroponics lab, Rode said.

The lab included 75 adult marijuana plants and lots of wires. Some
wires were exposed and may have caused the smoke, Rode said.

The plants had a street value of between $250,000 and $300,000, Rode
said. Officers are investigating who was behind the lab, Rode said.

Florida Power & Light also is looking into whether the lab's creators
stole electricity from neighbors or by tampering with meters, he said.