POLICE CONFISCATE $1.3 MILLION IN POT

About $1.3 million in plastic-wrapped marijuana and an estimated $100,000
cash were seized Thursday in what police are calling the largest drug bust
ever in Franklin.

Franklin N. Cardenas, 23, of Franklin, and Curtis M. Young, 37, of
Lexington, Ky., were arrested and held Thursday night on felony drug
dealing charges.

Franklin police were called to Frank's Carpet Place, a warehouse business
at 1085 Eastview Drive, shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday on a report of an
armed robbery.

Police found Cardenas bleeding inside the carpet business he reportedly
operated. He told police he'd been struck in the back of the head and that
someone had stolen his Ford Excursion.

Officers began a hunt for the stolen vehicle and found it heading south on
Interstate 65.

After a short chase, Franklin Officer Joe Dillon pulled it over near the
Edinburgh exit about 2:45 p.m. Young was driving the vehicle, and inside
police found what they estimate as 70 pounds of marijuana, packaged in huge
blocks and wrapped in plastic inside two duffel bags.

In a Flintstones bag in the vehicle, police found cash, a handgun and a
smaller bag of marijuana.

Police brought both Young and Cardenas to the police department for
questioning. Although statements from the men somewhat conflicted late
Thursday night, police at a press conference in Franklin gave this
preliminary version of events:

Cardenas told police he had the marijuana in his Excursion to bring to the
warehouse. He intended to sell the marijuana to a person he had never met,
Franklin Detective Brian Goldfarb said.

When Cardenas arrived at his carpet store, Young was waiting inside. Young
reportedly hit Cardenas and stole his Excursion, with the marijuana inside,
detectives said.

Cardenas jumped into a gray Jeep and temporarily chased Young, but he gave
up and returned to his store when he saw that police cars were taking chase
and that Young was leaving the city, Goldfarb said.

When Cardenas returned to the store, he had a neighboring business call
police, officers said.

He told police he didn't think Young was the person he was supposed to sell
the marijuana to, and police weren't sure about the relationship between
the two men.

Police said they believe Young came to Indiana from Kentucky strictly for a
drug deal.

Police then went to Cardenas' Franklin home at 4348 E. County Road 150S.
Inside, officers found $100,000 in a safe, two semi-or fully automatic
rifles, two handguns and a small bag of marijuana, Goldfarb said.

The money hasn't been counted, because police will run tests on it and
possibly check for fingerprints, Franklin Police Chief John Borges said.
The money appeared to be in $20 and $50 bills, neatly stacked and
rubber-banded inside a plastic grocery shopping bag.

Fourteen people, including Cardenas and his wife, had been living in the
home, police said.

During the investigation, police also confiscated a box of 1,100 rounds of
ammunition that had been partially opened.

Police weren't sure exactly what had been happening inside Cardenas' carpet
store -- a building that he leased -- because the only thing officers found
inside were a few empty crates.

Young was arrested on charges of possession of more than 10 pounds of
marijuana and intent to deliver, both Class C felonies; battery; and auto
theft. He was held on $100,000 bond at the Johnson County jail.

Cardenas, also held on $100,000 bond, was arrested on charges of possession
of more than 10 pounds of marijuana and intent to deliver, both Class C
felonies.

Goldfarb said that as many as three other people may be involved in the
incident.

Borges was not aware of any arrests made in Franklin for a larger amount of
drugs.

"No community wants to have this kind of thing in their community," Borges
said.

One police officer classified the drug bust as one of the largest drug
operations in Indiana and possibly the entire Midwest.

Borges commended the quick thinking of all police officers involved. More
than 20 officers assisted in the first day of the investigation, including
officers from the Johnson, Bartholomew and Shelby county sheriff's
departments and the Greenwood and Edinburgh police departments.

A neighboring business of Frank's Carpet Place on Eastview Drive was not
involved in the incident, police said.