AUTHORITIES SEIZE 1,464 POUNDS OF MARIJUANA IN MCHENRY COUNTY

HUNTLEY - Authorities arrested five men and seized a record 1,464
pounds of marijuana that rode into McHenry County inside pallets of
onions.

Sheriff's police and federal drug agents tracked a semitrailer Sunday
to a pole barn at 14206 Harmony Road outside Huntley, Sheriff Keith
Nygren announced Monday.

Authorities saw subjects using a fork lift to unload what appeared to
be pallets of onions inside an outbuilding at the farm, police said.
Ultimately, they found 58 bales of marijuana inside the pallets.

"It's a significant amount of marijuana taken off the street and
significant arrests," Nygren said.

The street value of the drugs was estimated at $1.5 million. The bust
topped the sheriff's office's previous record seizure of 300 pounds of
processed marijuana in 1997, Nygren said.

Authorities also seized about $8,000 cash Sunday.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the drug organization, which
Nygren said appeared to use some counter-surveillance techniques.
Nygren said authorities suspected that the organization had vehicles
following the semitrailer as look-outs.

Authorities do not believe the farm's owner nor the people renting the
house at the Harmony Road address were involved, Nygren said. Several
outbuildings are rented out separately from the house, and authorities
are exploring whether the suspects rented the pole barn or had a
connection to the person who did, Nygren said.

The location is west of Huntley High School and Leggee Elementary
School.

Five man were taken to McHenry County jail and are expected to appear
for bond hearings this morning.

Charged with unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver
and unlawful possession of marijuana were [name redacted], 30,
Frankfort; [name redacted], 32, Pingree Grove; [name redacted],
34, Hanover Park; [name redacted], 32, Hazel Crest; and
[name redacted], 44, Blue Island.

If convicted of the more serious charge, they could be sentenced to
between six and 30 years in prison.