Deputies in El Paso County have responded to a three suspected black market marijuana grows in the past two days. The latest bust happened earlier this evening in the Black Forest off of Winchester Road and Branch Place.
Sheriff Bill Elder said that us deputies have executed more than 32 search warrants for suspected illegal marijuana grows since the beginning of the year. He expects that number to reach 300 by the end of the year.
State lawmakers enacted stricter plant count limits last year and the Sheriffs Office sent letters to suspected black market growers warning them that they will be enforcing the new law.
"We’re not secretive about it. We don’t come in in the middle of the night," Elder said. "We go whenever we can go and the word will get out that we’re coming."
On Wednesday, deputies seized roughly $750,000 worth of refined marijuana along with plants and a trimming machine in two separate arrests.
