MARIJUANA CROPS HARVESTED

CENTREVILLE -- Area marijuana growers will notice a reduction in their
crops this year.

Over the last few weeks, members of the St. Joseph County Area Narcotics
Unit (SCAN) have seized more than 700 plants. Mature plants have a value of
about $1,000 each.

Last week, the team seized more than 200 plants in the Three Rivers and
Flowerfield township areas.

The plants ranged in heights from 12 feet to two feet and up to two inches
in diameter.

Officers have received many tips from farmers and citizens on the locations
of plots of the plants through out St. Joseph County.

"We couldn't be nearly this successful without the public's cooperation,"
SCAN Investigator Mark Lillywhite said.

Tuesday morning, the team, along with the help of the St. Joseph County
Sheriff's Department reserves paid visits to fields in Burr Oak and
Florence townships, harvesting almost 500 plants.

Later in the day, the plants were destroyed.

Officers have also did aerial searches several other locations throughout
the county and have several plots identified with marijuana plants.

Most growers plant seedlings within corn fields in the spring and harvest
the plants after the first frost.

Corn fields are most often used to hide the plants from seen.

"We have a goal of getting at least 1,000 plants this year, at the pace
we're at, that shouldn't be very difficult," Lillywhite said.

Lillywhite also wants anyone with information on marijuana growing
operations to contact SCAN at 467-9045 ext. 245.

"I want to urge all the marijuana growers to tend to their crops. SCAN
looks forward to meeting with them in the fields," Lillywhite said.