Orleans sheriffs seize marijuana plants

In August and September, the Orleans County Sheriff's Office conducted several county-wide marijuana plant search and seizure details.

With the assistance of aviation units from the Niagara County Sheriff's Office and the Civil Air Patrol, sheriff's deputies seized approximately 600 plants from various locations throughout the county. The value of a mature marijuana plant has been estimated as high as $1,000. The majority of the plants seized were growing in corn fields. This is not uncommon since the corn stalks conceal the plants from plain view. This makes aviation an integral part of the operation since the plants can be easily viewed from the air.

All of the plants seized in this year's "harvest" have been destroyed. This annual effort by the sheriff's office to curb the illegal growth of marijuana will continue in the future.

October 15, 2006