About 160 large pot plants were removed from a Harrison County location this week, police say.
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — About 160 large marijuana plants, with a street value of $320,000, were seized this week at a location in Harrison County between Bridgeport and Barbour County, according to law enforcement.
The Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force seized the plants during an all-day operation Tuesday at a “well-hidden” site off Brushy Fork Road, according to the commander of the Drug Task Force.
A hunter became suspicious and reported his concerns to Stonewood Police Chief Robert Matheny, who in turn alerted the Drug Task Force. That’s according to both the commander and Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker, the task force’s chairman.
The plants were cut, sampled, the root balls were collected for court, and then what was left was burned near one of the county’s law enforcement pistol ranges, the commander said.
The commander said he had worked previously in marijuana eradication for four years, and estimated he’d been involved in confiscating close to 500,000 marijuana plants in that time. Outdoor marijuana plants he had helped seize were only this large on one other occasion, he said.
These plants probably were put outside as early as possible in the spring, likely after the last frost, the commander said.
The investigation is continuing, according to Walker.
“We are very pleased to have interrupted the distribution of this large amount of marijuana,” he added.
