DPS Makes Large Marijuana Bust

[BluntKilla]

One of the largest busts for cultivated marijuana in Smith County history was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety Narcotics Service on Thursday, and one man was arrested after eluding authorities and sparking an intense manhunt.

"The group operating under the Texas Domestic Marijuana Eradication Program discovered several plots of land along FM 2767 in Smith County while doing routine aerial patrol, leading to the seizure of 1,694 cultivated marijuana plants, several firearms, and one arrest," DPS Public Information Officer Jean Dark said.

Trooper Dark said that after performing air surveillance of the scene, the group secured the perimeter of the property, obtained a search warrant and proceeded to eradicate and seize the marijuana.

Investigators were assisted by the Smith County Constable Precinct 4's office, local DPS troopers and Tyler bureau of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The one suspect was arrested and several weapons seized.

Troopers and other law enforcement officers searched a section of Farm-to-Market Road 850 near County Road 21 after a Hispanic male ran from authorities armed with a weapon.

Authorities later captured the man who had a shotgun, but Trooper Dark said the weapon was not loaded.

"We took him into custody without incident," she said. "Fortunately the shotgun was not loaded."

Trooper Dark said the man's identity was not going to be released until investigators can learn who he is.

"He gave us a name, but he had no identification and he is an illegal immigrant. Until we can get the results back from running his fingerprints through the national database, we won't give out information that could be wrong," she said.

Trooper Dark said the marijuana eradicated from the location is being analyzed for THC levels and is being held as evidence in the case.

She also said the program is an important tool and a tip line helps narcotics agents eliminate areas of marijuana and other illegal drugs from neighborhoods and rural areas.

"You can't see it (marijuana grown in rural areas) from the road because of the trees, but once they get up in the helicopter they can see it from the air," she said. "That is what happened in this case."


Newshawk: BluntKilla - 420 Magazine
Source: Tyler Morning Telegraph
Pubdate: 09/22/2006
Author: Kenneth Dean
Copyright: Tyler Morning Telegraph 2006
Contact: news@tylerpaper.com
Website: Tyler Paper - Tyler Morning Telegraph