Over $4 million in marijuana seized by lawmen in cotton field in Tarrytown

The Courier Herald ^ | 08/29/03 | Jonathon Finley

[yonif]

MT. VERNON - Over $4 million in marijuana was seized by law enforcement officials Aug. 26 near a cotton field in Tarrytown.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee Drug Task Force found the marijuana located near a vacant home at J. E. Willis Rd.

According to officials, they received a call from a concerned resident who tipped them off to the growing marijuana. Plants were found around the outside of the vacant residence, scattered through the roadside ditch and concentrated on the outskirts of the field and receding into the woods. Another large concentration of marijuana was discovered across the road in a field.

“I didn’t know it was going to be like this,” Montgomery Sheriff Clarance Sanders said. “I thought it was going to be a few plants.”

The few plants numbered into the thousands. Officials counted over 4,400 plants from the area.

Members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, along with the help of county workers, pulled plants out of the field that were as small as two inches and as big as nine and a half feet tall.

Montgomery County has had other marijuana plants found by authorities in the past, but nothing that turned out to be as large a find as this one, authorities said.

No arrests have been made, but the investigation is ongoing.

[Conservative til I die]

LOL, for a second I thought they were talking about Tarrytown, NY. The article mentioned both Mt Vernon and Tarrytown, both in Westchester County. I was curious as to where there would be cotton fields in Westchester.

[damncat]

Seems like a stretch of the imagination to claim its worth at four million.

[Between the Lines]

Over $4 million in marijuana seized by lawmen

I would guess then that it has a street value of about a quarter million.

[Paleo Conservative]

If it were possible to grow cotton in New York, New York would probably have joined the Confederacy. Cotton grows well in very thick clay soils in places with hot climates like, Texas, India, Egypt, etc.

[Fledermaus]

Not really. If each plant dried out to just 3 ounces you'll have 13,200 ounces or 825 pounds.

If it was sold by the ounce (which it wouldn't be by the grower) that would only be about $300 an ounce. If it was any good that's not too high. Increase the yield to 5 ounces a plant and you get to around $4 million at $150-175 an ounce.

Again, it depends on the quantity produced from each plant along with the quality that determines the price.

But $4 million isn't much of a stretch.

[lelio]

Each plant's worth $800-1000. What, that doesn't sound reasonable?!!?

[Cultural Jihad]

I would guess then that it has a street value of about a quarter million.

There are too many unknowns to say. If each plant produced on average 1/2 pound, there would have been 35,200 ounces. If they retailed for even $100 an ounce, that would be over $3.5 million. Your estimate of $56 per plant seems too low.

[thoughtomator]

So I guess they tested it to determine how much it would sell for?

[thoughtomator]

Guess we need some facts. How much product does each plant make, on average?

[Cultural Jihad]

According to the NORML website, a pound retails for $4610, and each mature plant can produce 4 or 5 ounces (say 4.5).

4,400 plants = 19,800 ounces = 1237.5 pounds = $5.7 million.

[Just another Joe]

C'mon guys, it's ditchweed.

[budwiesest]

Another four Mill that the state will never be able to tax and spend. How sad.

[itzmygun]

LOL. Some plants were 2 inches tall? Thank goodness no one was hurt! Sounds like this is just growing wild - funny to think of the Barney Fifes getting all worked up about it. I know it grows wild here in WV in the Eastern Panhandle where there used to be cultivated for making rope. I've heard of guys trying to smoke it, but they say it has no effects. I guess if the cops where smart, they would go find a patch every now and then and claim they made a big, million-dollar bust.

[Renfield]

Back about 20 years ago something like this happened near Junction City, Kentucky. The field was owned by the mother of one of my friends. She had agreed to let his uncle (her brother?) farm the field, and he in turn had rented it out to a third party. The state police flew over in a helicopter, and noticed about 10,000 marijuana plants growing in a block in the middle of a corn field. Somehow, they never were able to determine who was responsible, and no charges were ever filed!! (My friend's mother was the County Clerk of Court, and was politically connected....)

[Cultural Jihad]

Another four Mill that the state will never be able to tax and spend. How sad.

... in contrast to those who claim its illegality raises its price.

[Imal]

Over $4 million in marijuana was seized by law enforcement officials Aug. 26

Must have been one hell of a party at the sheriff's office that night.

[Cultural Jihad]

Do you have any proof that the local sheriff's department had a party? Or do you just enjoy condemning American institutions of self-governance?

[Imal]

Yes.

[Kenny Bunk]

Yes, there are. They were planted by bad Republicans as a back-to-work program for welfare recipients in White Plains, Portchester, Mount Vernon, Ossining, and Tarrytown.
The entire crop is sold to Chemise LaCoste.