By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office revealed today that deputies discovered more than 13,000 marijuana plants growing on several acres north of Morton.
Most of them were small starter plants less than 12 inches tall.
However, they also found some camouflaged tents, food and gardening tools as well as fertilizer, insecticide and animal poisons, according to the sheriff’s office.
Following up on a tip from early last week, two detectives and four deputies went to the site about 7 a.m. last Thursday, sheriff’s Cmdr. Steve Aust said this afternoon.
They were fully prepared to arrest multiple people, but nobody was there, he said.
Aust declined to reveal where the grow was except to say it was on several acres in a very remote area, amidst a 40-acre clear cut off of state Route 7.
“We’re trying to keep that a little bit private for now,” he said.
While the sheriff’s office has removed the seedlings, they still have investigative work to do, Aust said. Plus, they don’t want someone else later going out there to use what is now prime planting ground, he said.
The plants totaled 13,825. Among the supplies were tortillas, refried beans and goat cheese, Aust said.
Typically, three to five people will occupy such a site, according to Aust.
Detectives recovered items they believe will lead to the identity of those involved, according to this afternoon’s news release.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter