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KEARNS — Salt Lake County narcotics officers took down a major marijuana growing operation Wednesday, that was already sending the drugs to the streets and had a big supply growing.
"It's not very often that we find a grow like this," said Unified Police Detective Shane Manwaring, as officers pulled plant after plant from a Kearns warehouse.
The drug officers arrested two people already, and say they're still working the case. Acting on a tip from the public, they went to a warehouse in Kearns and discovered the massive indoor pot farm.
Police reported finding more than 150 marijuana plants with a street value of $1.8 million at a warehouse at 4985 S. Warehouse Road while serving a search warrant around 3 p.m.
"This is not a beginners marijuana grow," said Manwaring. "This is definitely advanced."
Sophisticated and elaborate, the farm filled the warehouse. Officers found 150 marijuana plants — a street value of $1.8 million.
Police say growers can produce more potent marijuana in an indoor operation like this. "More THC is produced in a grow like this, compared to a grow that's out in the wilderness," Manwaring said.
The growers had thousands of dollars invested in lights, timers and irrigation. They even drilled holes in the concrete walls to run electricity and water to the plants.
"There are some plants that are ready to be harvested and go out on the streets," the detective said.
Police got a tip several months ago, kept an eye on the warehouse, and busted two suspects Wednesday as they locked up to leave.
Police say one of the suspects has already served federal prison time for growing marijuana.
Stephen Cable, who owns the warehouse, said when police called him and said they were serving a warrant on his property, he was shocked.
"It's a nightmare," Cable said. "I was just dumbfounded, I couldn't believe it."
He thought his tenants were storing materials to make furniture.
"They weren't here that often, and they were really quiet," Cable said. "So I couldn't imagine it would be like this."
Cable feels lucky the growers didn't burn the warehouse down, but he has a lot of clean-up and repairs ahead of him. He also needs to find a new tenant that isn't so much trouble.
"Our family is strained already as it is," Cable said. "This is going to put us over the top. I don't know what we're going to do."
Email: jboal@ksl.com
