Big pot bust in Fort Bend

(9/24/07 - KTRK/FORT BEND COUNTY, TX) (KTRK) -- Authorities in Fort Bend County have uncovered a massive marijuana stash growing inside a home. Deputies think it's just a small part of a much larger operation.

In the Lakemont Subdivision near the Westpark Tollway and Mason Road, the homes are valued at upwards of $200,000. You'd expect yards to be the only place plants are grown here, but this weekend investigators discovered marijuana growing inside a house.

"It does take a little know-how to put everything together," an undercover officer told us.

Officers tell us the setup included thousands of dollars in growing equipment, giant lights, extensive water/air filtration, transformers and special media in which to grow the plants. According to county records, the home is more than 3,200 square feet. Deputies tell us that includes five bedrooms.

Investigators say they found as many as 800 pot plants inside that home and there were enough plants to fill every single bedroom.

The pot was located after firefighters responded to a fire in the backyard of the home. They went inside to make sure no one was hurt. Later they determined someone had dug a hole in the backyard and hooked up an illegal electrical connection between the home and the main utility line. The electricity was used to power the growing lights.

"We have a lot of kids that live in this neighborhood," said resident Caroline Trulock. "I don t want that going on around my children."

Neighbors say they didn't know the man who they saw come and go from the home. Authorities tell us there was so little furniture inside they believe no one actually lived here, and that the home was used only for the growth of marijuana.

"It makes you wonder what's going to be coming next," Trulock said.

Investigators are still looking for suspects.

At this point authorities can't say how much pot they seized or it's street value. They called this a significant operation, one likely affiliated with a much larger distribution network.
(Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

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