Police bust big marijuana grow after tip from utility workers

Local drug investigators seized hundreds of marijuana plants from a Southwest Side home on Thursday, police said, busting up a large growing operation worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Authorities are now working to find the people who were growing the pot, police spokesman Joel DeSpain said.

The Dane County Narcotics Task Force found 850 plants, valued at about $850,000, when they searched a side-by-side duplex at 7101 and 7105 Raymond Road around 3:45 p.m. Thursday, Madison police said.

Utility workers told investigators about the home after they noticed illegal and dangerous wiring there, DeSpain said. Whoever was growing marijuana had rigged up electrical work and created a number of fire hazards, DeSpain said.

The people identified on the homes lease did not live there, DeSpain said. Investigators believe they may have rented the duplex on behalf of others who grew the marijuana, police said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the operation to call Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014, or visit the groups website, madisonareacrimestoppers.org.

Thursday marked the second time in the past three months the narcotics task force has busted major grow operations.

In September, the group seized more than 1,100 plants from four properties in Madison and Sun Prairie, police said. The man police say managed that marijuana grow, 45-year-old Donald Alston, of Madison, has pleaded not guilty to eight felony drug charges and is awaiting a trial scheduled for February.

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Police bust big marijuana grow after tip from utility workers