Forty-two people were arrested and more than 80,000 marijuana plants were collected in connection with a suspected black market marijuana grow operation involving eight Front Range counties, marking one of the largest drug busts in the state's history, federal and local authorities announced Friday.
Partnering with numerous local law enforcement agencies, the feds executed several search warrants on suspected grow operations over the past three days, U.S. Attorney for Colorado Jason Dunn said in a press conference in his Denver office. They included 247 residential homes across the Front Range. Dunn said eight businesses were also searched.
"So the message that I have for traffickers that are coming to Colorado is this: If you do come here, this is the type of investigations that we will do," DEA Denver Division Special Agent in Charge William T. McDermott said Friday. "We'll work with our state and local partners and again, it's not if, but when you will be arrested and prosecuted."
The investigation was initiated more than two years ago by the North Metro Task Force and completed with help from dozens of local agencies. Authorities said a majority of the marijuana targeted in the operation was headed out-of-state.
"This was an extremely complex investigation that has gone on for the last two years," Dunn said.
The grow operations were happening in homes in places like Aurora, Lakewood and Thornton. The grow operations were allegedly found in basements of newer homes. Photographs showing the houses were included in a large poster placed near Dunn and other officials as they spoke.
"We felt it was important to show you, and show the public, some of these houses because we want people to know that these grow operations are not occurring in abandoned houses or poor parts of the metro area," Dunn said. "These are happening in middle- and upper-class neighborhoods, where many of us live and raise families."
Authorities executed more than 200 search warrants in eight counties including Adams (120), Arapahoe (63), Weld (22), Douglas (22) Jefferson (17), Denver (7), El Paso (3) and Broomfield (1).
They collected more than 80,000 marijuana plants from the locations and 4,500 pounds of the "finished marijuana product." The feds also seized 41 houses with an estimated average market value of $400,000, $2.16 million in U.S. currency, 25 cars and three jewelry items.
Dunn said the indictments and arrest include federal and local charges. He said 16 people are facing federal charges from his office, while 26 are facing charges in the 16th and 17th Judicial Districts in Colorado. Dunn said people facing charges included U.S. citizens and non-citizens.
Federal charges included manufacturing marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, maintaining a premise for the purposes of manufacturing and distributing, and conspiracy. Of the 16 people facing federal charges, Dunn said 11 are being charged with allegedly growing 1,000 plants, which carries a potential sentence of 10 years to life. Five are charged with growing more than 100 plants, which carries a five to 40-year sentence.
While marijuana is legal in Colorado, it remains a Schedule 1 narcotic under federal guidelines. And as authorities pointed out during Friday's press conference, Colorado's law hasn't wiped out the state's black market operations.
District Attorney for the 17th Judicial District Dave Young said the drug bust was a reminder that the illicit industry is "thriving," but added the operation has put "a big dent" in the market. More than 100 warrants were executed in Young's home base of Adams County.
Dunn in a release said Colorado has become "the epicenter of black market marijuana in the United States."
"To be clear, these grow (operations) are not ones that were otherwise legal under state law," Dunn added during the press conference. "These are pure, black market, producing large quantities of marijuana for distribution out of state for criminal enterprises."
District Attorney George Brauchler, whose 18th Judicial District will be prosecuting some of the people charged, pointed out Friday that there is a limit on the number of plants residents can have -- it's 12. He said the operation was done to enforce "the will of the people" of the state.
He also noted that Colorado's amendment making weed legal called for a regulated, lawful recreational market.
"They did not vote for the Wild West of weed, and that's what we are becoming," Brauchler said. "And that's what this investigation has revealed."
