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State Police Seize Marijuana Plants, Take DNA Samples (from each plant)
Wave 3 ^ | 7/28/04 | Dina Kaplan

Posted on 08/01/2004 1:04:59 PM PDT by Libloather

State Police Seize Marijuana Plants, Take DNA Samples
By Dina Kaplan

(CAMPELLSBURG, Ky., July 28th, 2004, 11:30 a.m.) -- State police found more than $200,000 worth of marijuana Tuesday, thanks to an unusually large batch spotted from a police helicopter. But because troopers are so aggressive in finding marijuana, the growers are getting much better at hiding it. WAVE 3's Dina Kaplan reports.

Besides a helicopter ride, finding weed in Kentucky involves offroading through an Old Country Farm, then a rough walk through the wilderness. That's because police say growers try to plant patches as far away from people as possible so they'll be hard to see and get to.

On Tuesday, a search turned up the equivalent of a gold mine for state police. In all, police found 100 marijuana plants worth about $200,000 on the street.

Of course, there's always the possibility of danger -- state troopers took a moment while our cameras were rolling to make sure we weren't being watched.

Troopers always that the grower is nearby.

"Someone's been here today," said Trooper Greg Larimore. Weeds were recently cut and the leaves were not wilted at all. "There's a good possibility the helicopter spooked them," Larimore says.

Convinced no one is nearby, the troopers cut and carrying off their loot -- 100 plants capable of producing one hundred pounds of marijuana.

"That's going to keep marijuana off our streets, keep it away from our kids," said Trooper Randy McCarty.

For three weeks each year, State Police in Campellsburg aggressively search for plants. The marijuana seized Tuesday would have most likely have ended up on the streets not just in Kentucky but around the region.

They are convinced the job is important but also becoming more difficult.

Growers are now better at finding out-of-the-way spots but police say the plant's dark color and their need for sunlight make them stand out. Lurking behind the facade of a forest, the marijuana detail says it can spot its target -- even one plant -- from the air or on foot.

Troopers now take DNA samples from each plant they find. That enables them to link one plant to dozens or even hundreds of others. If someone is arrested five years from now for growing that first plant, police could make a case that the same person was responsible for a much larger crime, and possibly take the case to federal court.

Online Reporter: Dina Kaplan


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: dna; drugwar; kentucky; marijuana; plants; police; samples; seize; state; take; wod; wodlist
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Troopers now take DNA samples from each plant they find. That enables them to link one plant to dozens or even hundreds of others.

Technology, dood...

1 posted on 08/01/2004 1:05:05 PM PDT by Libloather
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To: Libloather
If someone is arrested five years from now for growing that first plant, police could make a case that the same person was responsible for a much larger crime, and possibly take the case to federal court.

Any defense attorney worth a nickle would make mincemeat out of that argument.

2 posted on 08/01/2004 1:08:16 PM PDT by John Jorsett
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To: Libloather

One hundred plants? Are you kidding me?? State Troopers pulled up 891 plants from two patches near Danville West Virginia last thursday and friday.

I was with them two years ago when they eradicated 1400 plants from one mountainside.

And as for catching people in the act, they seldom do. About the only time cops ever catch a grower is if someone stumbles on 20 plants on someone's back porch.


3 posted on 08/01/2004 1:15:58 PM PDT by Armedanddangerous (The first rule of gunfighting is to have a gun...more than one, if possible..)
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To: Libloather

It's amazing the breeding and selection that has gone into marijuana - dwarf plants that grow under lights, that produce an enormous number of flower buds, whose active substances have been multiplied I don't know how many times - I think I may have figured out how to solve world hunger - we could make rice or corn illegal...and see what the breeders do...

Mrs VS


4 posted on 08/01/2004 1:19:15 PM PDT by VeritatisSplendor
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To: Libloather
reply to: "One hundred plants? Are you kidding me??"

Really, it is truly a JOKE!

In several of the midwestern states, marijuana grows WILD - by literally MILLIONS of plants!!!

(That's because the US govt encouraged farmers to grow marijuana during WW II, now the govt has changed its mind, but it is to late, THE WEED has ESCAPED!)

Perhaps we should pull out of the Middle East and all of the military bases all over the world, and spend up all the resources of the world's great superpower -

to pull THE WEED!
5 posted on 08/01/2004 1:23:37 PM PDT by RonHolzwarth
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To: Libloather
"Take DNA Samples (from each plant)"

Visions of a stained blue dress come to mind!!!

6 posted on 08/01/2004 1:42:24 PM PDT by Dacus943
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To: Libloather
In all, police found 100 marijuana plants worth about $200,000 on the street.

Someone forgot to make their contribution the the LEO retirement fund.

7 posted on 08/01/2004 1:44:40 PM PDT by Freebird Forever (islam IS a terrorist support network)
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To: Libloather

LOL! I've seen plants growing along Texas hwys. People throw the seeds out the car window.


8 posted on 08/01/2004 1:51:41 PM PDT by Dallas59
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To: Dallas59

No...I don't have any locations.


9 posted on 08/01/2004 1:52:17 PM PDT by Dallas59
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To: Libloather
Don't Bogart that joint, my friend, pass it over to me....

FMCDH(BITS)

10 posted on 08/01/2004 1:55:32 PM PDT by nothingnew (KERRY: "If at first you don't deceive, lie, lie again!")
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To: RonHolzwarth

That's hard to believe.

Do you have directions to these millions of plants?


11 posted on 08/01/2004 1:58:36 PM PDT by BenLurkin ("A republic, if we can revive it")
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To: RonHolzwarth

just so's you know... that mid-west ditch weed is ABLOULTELY WORTHLESS!!!

you could smoke it till you pass out from smoke inhalation and you won't get high.

not only that, but every year people from out of the area get caught cutting it and jailed as if it were good weed!

live and learn

12 posted on 08/01/2004 2:01:12 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: Libloather

WOD Resistance Tip # 2 - Plant Your Seeds


13 posted on 08/01/2004 2:01:52 PM PDT by Lexington Green (It just ain't right to ask an American soldier to salute John Kerry.)
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To: Chode

HAHAHA


14 posted on 08/01/2004 2:11:27 PM PDT by VaBthang4 ("He Who Watches Over Israel Will Neither Slumber Nor Sleep")
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To: RonHolzwarth
...literally MILLIONS of plants!!!

That means literally MILLIONS of DNA samples - no?

15 posted on 08/01/2004 2:13:15 PM PDT by Libloather (What did Bergler stow - and when did he stow it?)
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To: All

Wow after all those trips, wasting lots of gas they finally found some plants that they can't pin on anyone. Well at least the chopper pilots had fun.


16 posted on 08/01/2004 2:14:08 PM PDT by pepperhead (Kennedy's floats, Mary Jo's don't!)
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To: Chode

Heh, and IIRC, states spend somewhere along the lines of tens of million dollars a year eradicating this ditchweed.

*sighs and wishes he could get one of those great government boondoggle jobs someday* </sarcasm>


17 posted on 08/01/2004 2:23:12 PM PDT by somniferum
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To: VeritatisSplendor

Isn't capitalism amazing?


18 posted on 08/01/2004 2:28:59 PM PDT by Doe Eyes
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To: Doe Eyes

What is amazing is that they can spot one plant from a
moving helo, but Islamix terrorists walk across
our borders all the time.


19 posted on 08/01/2004 2:33:12 PM PDT by tet68 ( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
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To: RonHolzwarth
In several of the midwestern states, marijuana grows WILD - by literally MILLIONS of plants!!!

When is some genetic engineer going to figure out how to get kudzu to produce THC?

20 posted on 08/01/2004 2:33:45 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (Sandy, is that a top secret document in your pants or are you just happy to see me?)
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