DEPUTIES PLUCK 3,000 POT PLANTS

Anonymous Tip Led to One of County's Largest Busts

Pasquotank County sheriff's officials pulled up an estimated $3.6
million in marijuana plants Tuesday -- one of their largest illegal
drug seizures in recent memory.

Acting on an anonymous tip, Investigator William Williams and five
other sheriff's officials seized 2,995 marijuana plants growing in a
quarter-acre plot off Lynchs Corner Road in the Newland area.

The law enforcement officials spent much of Tuesday pulling up the
plants by the roots, he said.

"Some of the plants were as tall as 12 foot, but some of them weren't
as tall as a foot," Williams said.

Williams said it appeared some trees had been cut down near where the
plants were growing to help them receive sunlight. However, none of
the plants had buds on them, leading officials to believe that the
marijuana was harvested last year and the plants abandoned.

Even so, Tuesday's haul of marijuana plants was the largest for the
sheriff's office in recent years.

"I've been working narcotics for almost nine years, and this is the
most (marijuana) I've found in one spot," Williams said.

Pasquotank Sheriff Randy Cartwright said each marijuana plant, when
fully mature, has a street value of between $1,200 and $1,400. Even
using the lower estimate, the plants deputies seized Tuesday had a
value of roughly $3.6 million.

Officials have suspects but have not made any arrests, Investigator
Jay Winslow said.

The site's location in a wide-open space suggests that many people
had access to it.

"The place is open so anybody in the public could get to it," Winslow said.

In fact, quite a few people apparently knew about the marijuana-grow
field. Winslow said the sheriff's office was receiving so many calls
about the spot that it finally had to remove the plants.

Williams said marijuana-grow fields aren't uncommon. However, more
and more marijuana now seems to be grown indoors.

"We found a lot more people grow it inside now," Williams said.

After picking the marijuana Tuesday, investigators loaded it into two
pickup trucks. Williams said his office plans to hold onto it as long
as the investigation is open. If it appears that no arrests can be
made, the sheriff's office will seek a court order to have it
destroyed, Williams said.