October 7, 2002
Irwin County-- One man is in jail, accused growing at least $1.5 million worth of marijuana. Drug agents expect to make more arrests and find more pot.
The marijuana was discovered in a corn field after a manhunt Sunday night. It all started when someone spotted a truck parked in the Irwin County field after dark.
Drug agents take off on four wheelers, ready to search Irwin County's Swallow Lane Road area for marijuana after someone spotted a truck sitting in the field after dark Sunday night, and deputies discovered why they were there.
"Subjects ran away into the woods, and we discovered shortly after they had a garbage bag full of crop marijuana," said Irwin County Sheriff Donnie Youghn.
One suspect was caught after a six mile foot chase, with helicopters flying overhead. Then agents returned to the field during the daylight, amazed to find so much pot growing just yards from where they'd spotted the vehicle.
"Contacted while ago, said they wanted to get the four wheelers," Youghn said. "Not too long after, they said they found it."
More than one-thousand plants, worth at least $1.5 million, all in the back of an open field, harvested for corn this summer. "We were amazed at that many plants out in the open," the sheriff said.
After inspecting their big bust, members of the South Central Drug Task force along with aid from a State Patrol helicopter out looking for more pot plants in the field.
"We don't need drugs," said Youghn. "Drugs are bad because it causes problems, we want to get everything we can get."
Irwin County officials expecting more drug discoveries and more arrests in the next few days. The South Central Drug Task Force was formed in July to curb a growing drug problem in Irwin, Turner, Ben Hill, and Wilcox Counties.
posted at 5:40PM by dave.miller@walb.com
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