$3 million dollar 'grow house' found in North Hall

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Sheriff's investigators late Tuesday afternoon uncovered a marijuana grow house north of Gainesville with an estimated $3 million crop.

Investigators were on another case in the 4100 block of Belvedere drive off Price Road when they smelled marijuana.

Sheriff's Maj. Jeff Strickland said authorities got a search warrant and found the pot growing in the basement of a house.

"We had marijuana in various stages of growth from seedlings to mature specimens," Strickland said. "That's all being seized along with other items from the residence."

Strickland said they found about 1000 plants, 862 pounds of pot in three basement rooms, worth an estimated street value of $3.3 million.

The basement marijuana 'grow' was complete with piped water and strong lights for indoor cultivation.

"It is a hydroponic type grow house," Strickland said. "In this day and time its unusual to find a marijuana growing operation in a residential area that is as heavily populated as this one is."

"The people who perpetrate these crimes work very secretively," he added.

Strickland said officers planned to work through the night to identify the pot growers and make arrests.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/2/206594