Sophisticated large indoor marijuana grow operation that spanned three counties was discovered in Cannon County

Sep 09, 2015 at 10:56 am by bryan


A very sophisticated large indoor marijuana grow operation that spanned three counties was discovered in Cannon County and arrests were made last week.

According to Cannon County Sheriff's Reports, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation contacted the Cannon County Sheriff's Department to let them know about a large operation they were investigating in Bedford and Giles County. The investigation started over a year ago and during the execution of one of the search warrants, documentation found during the search indicated that the suspects also had two more locations in Cannon County that they were currently manufacturing marijuana from.

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Investigators went to the locations on Tassey Road in Readyville and Pawnee Drive in Bradyville. After a day of surveillance, investigators gathered enough evidence to execute a search warrant of both properties. After conducting the search, Sheriff's Department investigators and deputies, witnessed just how big the grow operation was at the Tassey Road location. When they first walked in the door, there was a large water tank with potting soil and watering items. Moving to the next room they found an entire room of lights and marijuana plants in large black pots unlike anything they had ever encountered. The room was set up with irrigation, air ducts, water pump, heat lamps, fans and an electrical board. Another room produced piles of stalks roughly estimated to be 400 or 500 processed piled in the floor. 89 small marijuana plants were found in plastic cups and another 45 plants were found in black pots.

Middle Tennessee Electric was called to the scene to shut the electricity off so that the items could be taken out safely. However, after the electricity was shut down, the power to the building continued to run. Members of the drug operation had spliced into the power supply and were stealing electricity.

Rolando Morales and Ivan Morales were both charged with manufacturing, selling and deliver of schedule 6 drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a dwelling to use / keep or sell narcotics and theft over $10,000. Both are set to appear in Court October 6th.

The sheriff's department then went to the Pawnee Drive location and seized $4,809.00 in cash, two trucks, 5 cell phones and one 4x8 trailer and paperwork regarding the operation.

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