UPSET NABS MARIJUANA

More Than 300 Pot Plants Taken in Bust

GARDEN PENINSULA - The Michigan State Police Upper Peninsula
Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET) eradicated nearly 380 pot plants
from a plot Friday, after an outdoor marijuana growing operation was
discovered in the Garden area.

Police will continue their investigations. They are not releasing
information on any suspects at this time.

UPSET Unit Commander and Michigan State Police Lt. Jeff Racine
estimated the street value of the marijuana to be around $380,000.

"The state goes by $1,000 per plant, but this (marijuana) could be
sold for up to $3,000 (per plant) or more," he said.

The growing operation in Garden was discovered during a helicopter
fly-over. Over the past several weeks, UPSET has been involved in
Domestic Cannibus Eradication/Suppression Program (DCE/SP) which
replaces the old HEMP Program. Michigan National Guard, Coast Guard
and Michigan State Police have been assisting UPSET in its efforts by
periodically flying over its 12-county coverage area.

Racine said UPSET has already eradicated more than $1.5 million worth
of marijuana in the last three weeks. This year, 400 plants were
taken from the city of Gladstone alone.

Racine said some of the plants found in Garden Friday would have been
ready to harvest soon.

"The growers will start pruning right now," he said. "We want to pull
these out before they start, otherwise it will end up on the streets."

A sample of the pot pulled from the site will be sent to the
University of Mississippi to test the plants' levels of THC, which is
the psychoactive substance found in the plant. Racine said he expects
these particular plants to have relatively high levels.

"This is top-notch marijuana," he said. "These have been well-taken
care of, well cultivated. These are some experienced growers."

The police will hold onto the marijuana for evidenciary purposes in
the case of a trial. If no suspects are found, the marijuana is
burned according to Michigan State Police policies.

Manufacturing marijuana is a felony and could result in up to 10
years in prison, according to Racine.

He said marijuana growing has picked up again in the Upper Peninsula
due to better moisture this summer. The moist, fertile soils of the
Garden Peninsula make it a prime spot for growing marijuana. However,
UPSET enforcement has caused more and more operations to locate further north.

"They know we're going to fly over here, so it's moving up north,"
said Racine. "About a week and a half ago we busted someone in
Houghton growing it in their backyard. They had several loaded guns
and a police officer was assaulted."

Racine said there are currently several warrants pending related to
pot busts, including delivery, possession with intent to deliver,
possession of firearms during commission of a felony, and assaulting
a police officer.