Wow. The had the police out there. A SWAT team. Even the EMS. For 10 hours. Probably costs the taxpayers tens of thousand of dollars.
But in the end it was worth it. All illegal tomato plants were confiscated.
Posted on 08/14/2013 11:23:23 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd
Several residents at the “Garden of Eden” sustainability garden in Arlington, Texas, claim that local police raided their farm because they thought tomato plants were marijuana plants.
The police reportedly damaged the garden's property and the crops during the Aug. 2 raid, which included a SWAT team (video below).
“They came here under the guise that we were doing a drug trafficking, marijuana-growing operation. They destroyed everything,” said garden owner Shellie Smith to WFAA-TV.
Apparently, an undercover officer and a helicopter surveillance crew believed there was probable cause that the wrong kind of plant was being grown in the garden and an armed raid was planned.
“They can’t even tell the difference between tomato plants and a marijuana drug cartel," said farm resident Quinn Eaker to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. "That’s just really bad intel.”
According to the Garden of Eden's website, the raid lasted for an estimated 10 hours.
However, the City of Arlington stated: “No cultivated marijuana plants were located on the premises. Narcotics detectives and members of the tactical unit cleared the scene within 45 minutes.”
According to reports, police officers removed legally cultivated plants such as blackberries and okra. Police also removed pallets, tires and cardboard that were used for sustainability projects.
Instead of the damage done to the farm, police spokesman Christopher Cook seemed more concerned about the reaction on Facebook against the police.
“That’s what concerns me about their social media allegations," Cook told the Dallas Morning News. "Yes, they were initially handcuffed, however once it was determined it was secure they were taken out of handcuffs. Typically we wouldn’t do that, but they were compliant."
Sources: Dallas Morning News, WFAA-TV, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth, IntoTheGardenofEden.com
*War on Tomato Plants
Don’t mess with Texas (cops gone wild).
LOL.
Wow. The had the police out there. A SWAT team. Even the EMS. For 10 hours. Probably costs the taxpayers tens of thousand of dollars.
But in the end it was worth it. All illegal tomato plants were confiscated.
Attack of the killer tomatoes.
Some marijuana growers DO put red Christmas ornaments on their plants to try and hide from the fuzz. From the air the infrared signature of Marijuana and Tomatoes is similar.
Fast-n-Rototilled.
Did the family dog get away?
Not a bigger waste in society than the war on drugs.
Just our Medieval minded cops going medieval on some hippies, after all back in the 1500’s tomatoes were considered poisonous.
Obviously, the cultivation of blackberries in captivity constituted a hate crime.
“sustainability” is a code word for UN Agenda 21. I am not sure that I care what happened.
“You say tomayto and I say tomahto ... just CHILL, Dude!”
“From the air the infrared signature of Marijuana and Tomatoes is similar.”
Shrubs all pretty much have the same heat signature.
What they look for is the heat signature from grow lights or hot houses.
I’m surprised the local gestapo hasn’t descended on my little garden yet. Of course, how many marijuana plants have tomatoes handing from them?
“..Attack of the killer tomatoes....”
No.. Attack of the Tomato Killers.
LOL
When the city gets the bill for damages, it should be taken from the paychecks of the offending officers.
“Yes, they were initially handcuffed, however once it was determined it was secure they were taken out of handcuffs. Typically we wouldn’t do that, but they were compliant.”
We let them go when we found out they were innocent,
typically we wouldn’t do that...
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