Crime Scene : Troopers break up Trapper Creek pot grow operations

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Troopers break up Trapper Creek pot grow operations

Posted by crimeblog

Posted: October 21, 2009 - 2:57 pm

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A sweeping series of drug busts in Trapper Creek Tuesday uncovered five marijuana growing operations and led to three arrests, with charges pending against other suspects, according to Alaska State Troopers.

Three Trapper Creek men were arrested on felony drug charges and charges against others are under review following the busts in homes and outbuildings all found within a few miles of each other.

Investigators executing four search warrants in the Trapper Creek area Tuesday found 384 marijuana plants in various stages of growth along with a substantial amount of processed pot and a wide variety of growing equipment, including three diesel generators and a vehicle, troopers said. They also uncovered a fifth operation that was unrelated to the others, troopers said.

“It was just and investigation that kind of culminated all on one particular day because they were all in the same area. Some were related to one another, but not all of them were,” said Lt. Andy Greenstreet, deputy commander of the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement. “A lot of times it’s just a good use of resources to do as many of those types of investigations at one time.”

Charged in the growing operations are: Duane McCormick, 39, Gary McCormick, 38, and James Butts, 51. All are facing charges of fourth-degree misconduct involving a controlled substance, troopers said.

The other suspects were not named Wednesday.

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