Staff writer
Less than a day after approximately 2,100 marijuana plants were seized and destroyed in rural Peabody, another 2,300 were seized about 6 miles away in northern Butler County.
Meanwhile, Marion County Sheriff’s Department expanded their search area, although no new marijuana plots turned up, Sheriff Rob Craft said.
He said the grow operation in Butler County had many similarities to the one found by a hunter near Peabody on Sept. 24. Craft said his department is working with Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Agency on the case, trying to find the people who were running the marijuana operation.
All of the marijuana plants seized in Marion County were on the property of a single landowner, who Craft said “was in no way involved.”
Marijuana growers look for secluded areas, places with very little traffic during the summer growing season.
“Keep an eye on your property,” Craft said. “If you see anything unusual or believe there has been activity, please call us.”
He said he discourages private citizens from investigating such activity, because the people involved may be willing to use violence to protect their investment.
An encampment found at one of the growing plots showed signs that it had been abandoned hastily about three weeks ago. Any footprints had been washed away by rain, there were cobwebs, and rain was still sitting in tarps above makeshift cots.
Additionally, on Sept. 28 the county destroyed another 60 marijuana plants from two apparently unrelated locations, one cultivated and one wild.