Hundreds Of Pot Plants Seized During 3 Raids In Stanislaus County
MODESTO (CBS13) - Agents with the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency seized hundreds of marijuana plants worth millions of dollars during three raids this week, including one grow of huge plants that agents compared to a Christmas tree lot.
The raids began Tuesday at a 40-acre chicken ranch in the 1100 block of Yosemite Boulevard in Waterford. Agents discovered the outdoor grow in between two abandoned chicken farms and seized about 491 plants that weighed 8,880 pounds.
The estimated street value after the marijuana was harvested and processed was $1.2 million. The location of the grow was 400 feet from Waterford High School, officials said.
John Lee, 53, Kathy Lee, 53, Khon Phommavahn, 36, and Ricky Saeteurn, 39, all of Waterford, were arrested on location during the raid.
Agents served two search warrants on Wednesday. They seized about 130 plants at a ranchette in the 5600 block of Hammett Road in Modesto and arrested Patrick Fletcher, 21, Tyrone Garden, 43, both of Salida.
Later in the day, task force agents went to a ranch in the 1000 block of South Mitchell Road in Turlock and discovered an outdoor marijuana grow in the middle of a 40-acre cornfield. They confiscated 187 marijuana plants that were surrounded by a fence.
Although the number of plants was relatively small, agents said the plants were some of the biggest they'd ever seen, comparing the scene to walking through a Christmas tree lot.
"These were some of the biggest marijuana plants we have seen in several years," said Modesto Police Sgt. Jason Grogan, who is a supervisor for the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency.
The plants weighed about 12,000 pounds and had and an estimated street value of $750,000. No one was located at the property and no arrests were made.
"We will continue our mission of dismantling illegal drug operations to include the eradication of illegally possessed marijuana" Grogan said. "We appreciate the help and support from the community in aiding us in identifying these illegal grows."
All three raids were the result of anonymous tips.
