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Pocono News Section
Pot Bust Nets Half Million in Drugs, Cash
Pot Bust Nets Half Million in Drugs, Cash - Thursday, May 28, 2009 at 4:29PM EST
Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Thursday, May 28, 2009 @ 04:29pm EST
BLOOMING GROVE TOWNSHIP, PIKE COUNTY -- State troopers in Hazmat suits take more than 1,000 marijuana plants out of 162 Hiller Road. They charged 59-year-old Kenneth Kraeger with several drug-related counts.
Police were tipped off to Kraeger potentially having a marijuana growing operation. Then they checked out his electric bill.
"This home was using approximately 10 times the mount of electricity a house this size would usually use," said Trooper Bill Satkowski.
The monthly bill averaged $1,300. Satkowski says the plants overpowered the house.
"If you can imagine someone with a backyard garden and they're growing tomato or pepper plants, and they put 1,000 to 2,000 tomato plants in their backyard, you can imagine how big that is," he said.
Police say with a case like this, it'll often take weeks to find a place to do a controlled burn. But because they're in the middle of a 60-acre property in Pike County, they destroyed the marijuana on the spot, in a burn pile.
State police also found 80 pounds of processed marijuana. In total, police seized nearly one-half million dollars in marijuana and cash. The plants were worth $250,000, the processed pot worth $200,000, and another $26,000 in cash was found inside Kraeger's house.
The district attorney says the biggest bust he's aware of in Pike county didn't shock him.
"Lately with the influx of people moving into Pike County, there's not a lot that surprises us anymore," said Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin.
Police say the investigation into where the pot was going continues.
Kraeger was initially taken to the state police barracks, but complained of chest problems. He was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital, where his condition wasn't released.
Troopers say Kraeger will be arraigned before Magesterial District Judge Jay Rose in Hawley. He's charged with manufacturing marijuana, possession with the intent to deliver, and possession of a controlled substance, due to a small amount of cocaine also found in the house.
All are unclassified misdemeanors, and Satkowski says that allows the judge more room when it comes to sentencing. | | |
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