Pot plants found near Claudville, VA

STUART, Va. (By Tom Joyce, Mt. Airy News) — Clues are being sought regarding the discovery of a large-scale marijuana-growing operation near Claudville last week which is believed to have been planted by Hispanic laborers.

Patrick County Sheriff Dan Smith said general information had been received about the location of the operation in a remote section of the county between Claudville and the Dobyns Road community.

However, since no definite area could be pinpointed, a helicopter crew from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was called in to assist. That resulted in seven different planting areas being discovered in the Little Dan River Road area totaling about two acres.

Nearly 3,500 marijuana plants were found by local, state and federal officers, most of which were 6 to 7 feet tall. The street value of the plants, which were about 12 feet tall in some cases, has been put at $5 million.