Police seize 23,000 marijuana plants in middle Georgia


Pot farmers probably don’t use traditional agricultural phrases like “bumper crop” — but if they did, they’d be talking about the massive harvest that authorities seized last week in Middle Georgia.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, with help from other state, federal and local authorities, announced Monday that a June 23 operation uncovered 23,000 marijuana plants growing “on a large plot of land.” Authorities estimate the street value of the drugs to be more than $100 million.

Photos show the plants being unloaded from a full-sized dump truck.

The grow operation was discovered while representatives from Monroe County and the Georgia Governors Task Force “conducted special operations targeting marijuana growing operations … using aerial surveillance,” Monroe County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Allison Selman-Willis said.

After the plants were located, additional authorities were summoned to lend a hand. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Natural Resources, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Bureau of Investigation were represented, as well as the Bibb, Butts and Lamar County sheriff’s offices.

No arrests have been made.

Monroe County is about one hour south of Atlanta.

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