Published: September 23, 2008 10:23 am            

Marijuana found

Almost 400 marijuana plants were seized from a property near Sharon during a search conducted by officials with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Control (OBN) late Friday afternoon.

After receiving several tips that the resident at that property had been growing the plants, OBN officials flew over the property to visually confirm the presence of the plants, according to Wendell Brandenburg, agent in charge for the OBN’s Woodward district.

The OBN officials then obtained a search warrant, which they executed around 5:30 p.m. Friday, he said.

The search resulted in the discovery and confiscation of 391 cultivated marijuana plants and approximately a pound of processed marijuana, Brandenburg said.

“If this was all on the street, it would be worth quite a bit of money,” he said, noting that it is estimated that one marijuana plant can produce one to two pounds of processed marijuana, which sells for around $800 per pound.

A number of other items were also confiscated during the search, which in addition to a search of the grounds themselves included a search of a home on the property, of a white building on the property and of an orange van parked on the property, according to documents filed in Woodward County District Court Monday.

The other items that were seized include 10 dried marijuana plants, several partially smoked marijuana cigarettes, and various drug paraphernalia from a triple beam scale to plastic tubing to smoking pipes.

“In a lot of places this would be considered a pretty good sized grow operation,” Brandenburg said, noting that it was “a good bust for us.”

“If any of it (marijuana) gets in the hands of children or anybody else, it’s not a good deal,” he said. “It is still a gateway drug.”

As of Monday no arrest had been made and no charges had been filed in the case.

However, Brandenburg remained hopeful that he will “get some good prosecution out of it” and noted that OBN is seeking an arrest warrant for the property owner.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.