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| International Cannabis News Marijuana News - Updated Daily! |
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Hollywood Florida's Biggest Raid Ever.
At $2.4 million in cash and more than 700 mature marijuana plants seized, Thursday's eight-house raid was the biggest one-day pot bust in Hollywood's history. On Friday, Hollywood police laid both greens on a table. The leafy plants filled the space with a distinct scent, and the stacks of hundred-dollar bills captured everyone's attention. Police said they believe the four men arrested Thursday ran a pot- growing ring that, with 700 mature plants, could have produced $14 million a year in profits. On average, each plant produces one pound of street-ready marijuana a month, which sells for about $5,000. The arrested: Robert James Pelletier, 42, of Hollywood; Michael R. Blood, 40, of Hallandale; and brothers Mark Stephen Bettencourt 33, and Robert M. Bettencourt, 27, both of Hollywood. They each face charges of marijuana cultivation, marijuana trafficking, conspiracy to traffic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police are not sure whether the men will be prosecuted in state or federal court, Hollywood Police Capt. Allen Siegel said. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the South Broward Drug Enforcement Unit -- a federally funded task force with officers from several departments -- assisted in the busts. The raids began in Hollywood, Dania Beach and Wilton Manors at 5 a.m. on Thursday. Police found pot plants and high-tech growing equipment in at least five of the eight homes they searched. They arrested Mark Bettencourt at an apartment on Tigertail Boulevard in Dania Beach. When police arrested Pelletier at his Rodman Street home, they found the $2.4 million stashed in safes in his truck, Hollywood Police Lt. Tony Rode said. Rode said officers had been tracking some of the suspects for two or three years, but the officers intensified the investigation -- making connections between the drug houses and getting probable cause for search warrants -- in the past month. Often, he said, the officers worked 20-hour days trying to nail down the case. The confiscated money will stay in Broward, Hollywood Police Chief Jim Scarberry said. As much as 15 percent may be donated to charitable groups in Hollywood. The rest, he said, will be used to pay officers the overtime they accrued in this case as well as other police department expenses Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jul 2003 Source: Miami Herald (FL) Copyright: 2003 The Miami Herald Contact: heralded@herald.com Website: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/ |
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