A Conroe police spokesperson told us this is the largest pot grow she's seen in at least the last 10 years. It's near several neighborhoods and a park.
Police took us to the southwest area of the city, several miles off McDade Park along FM 2854, where the suspects were running the huge grow operation, with an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 marijuana plants. Officials estimate the street worth is roughly $500 per plant. Now investigators are confiscating those plants and looking for suspects.
It was a routine narcotics investigation that led Conroe police deep into some woods several miles from a main road and so heavily wooded investigators had to use heavy equipment to clear a path.
Authorities say the plants are growing at six locations, covering acres of ground. Conroe police believe the suspects had been growing the plants for months and were even sleeping in the woods to be near the pot-growing operation.
"Cots, food, water, water pumps, generators -- all these items were located in the area," explained Sgt. Dorcy Riddle with the Conroe Police Department.
Police, along with federal investigators, conducted a week-long surveillance but have not arrested any suspects.
A local resident said, "It's punks like this that deal drugs to kids. It's just not good and they need to be caught."
Residents are shocked, because they say the operation is in a quiet area where they wouldn't expect something like this.
The wooded area is often used for hunting, and police do not believe the property owner is involved in the drug operation.
Police conducted surveillance of the forested area for more than a week, from the ground and the sky. Still, there's been no sign of any suspects.
"They probably already knew we were aware of the grow and abandoned the grow," Riddle said.
The investigation and search for suspects continues.
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