BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. (WSBT) — An unusual odor from an abandoned building led to a shocking discovery of more than 550 Marijuana plants!
Neighbors say that passing by the warehouse, they would often smell marijuana, but didn’t think much of it because weed is legal in Michigan.
They were shocked to find exactly how much weed they were smelling.
Police found 34 pounds of processed pot and more than 550 marijuana plants. That is what was seized by the SWET-West team when they were assisting Baroda Lake Township Police in a search at a warehouse on Stevensville-Baroda Road.
The thing that led police there was a distinctive smell that neighbors reported being able to detect every time they passed by.
“There was something that smelled like pot, but you couldn't see it. There's a lot of people that do grow around here legally. And so, you just kind of assume that it's that. I don't think anybody would have guessed that it was a 500-plant operation,” said Chelsie Nitz, lives nearby.
And other neighbors had the same idea. A business owner next door was not super surprised by the find.
He said the smell was constant.
“And it was 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And it was, yeah, I was noticeable. Definitely noticeable all the time. And it smelled strong,” said Jake Davis, Owner of Millwright Brothers Construction.
While at the warehouse, there were frightful messages written on the building, such as "I will shoot," and on the door, "No Joke."
Looking through a window, you could possibly see what may be LED grow lights.
But one thing is no longer at the warehouse... the smell.
“As soon as the cops came, the night that the cops are here, that smell went away. I am glad the smell's gone. It was getting obnoxious really. It was constant. We bought the building in September. And so shortly after that, we noticed it was just a constant marijuana smell,” said Davis.
It's still unclear who was behind this illegal operation.
Police interviewed a twenty-two-year-old man from Indianapolis and a forty-three-year-old man from Denver, Colorado... neither man was held.
No charges have been filed.
The SWET-West team is continuing to investigate.
Police in Berrien County dismantled an unlicensed marijuana grow operation with hundreds of plants.
On Monday, the Southwest Enforcement Team released information on the March 27 bust.
Police were called to an abandoned warehouse on Stevensville-Baroda Road after several neighbors complained about a strange smell coming from the building.
When officers arrived, they found two men inside, along with over 550 marijuana plants.
The plants, along with over 34 pounds of processed marijuana, were seized.
The two men, a 22-year-old from Indianapolis and a 43-year-old from Denver, were interviewed by police and released.
At this time, no charges have been filed.
