HancockCountyRelief

Weed Growing In Hancock County

From Sea Coast Echo

High Times
By DWAYNE BREMER
Aug 28, 2006, 08:53

Cutting the grass in your own yard may result in a surprise these days, as mystery plants being found throughout the southern part of Hancock County may indeed be grass, but not the type you would would expect.

County narcotics officials said this week several residents have called to report strange plants growing wild on streets, sidewalks, and in back yards. Upon further investigation by officials, these plants have been identified as cannabis, better known as marijuana.
"We have been seeing some marijuana growing in the wild," Narcotics Agent Abe Long said Wednesday. "It is popping up all over the place."
He said the increase in wild plants is probably a result of Hurricane Katrina. He said homes which had marijuana in them were destroyed and carried all over the place by Katrina's storm surge. With so much destruction and displacement of property, marijuana seeds could have ended up anywhere in the south part of the county, he said.
According to Wikipedia, the cannabis plant grows in the wild in may places around the world. Dry or humid climates can make for favorable growing conditions.
The cannabis plant is described as a long, thin, and airy bud, with a christmas tree shaped structure. In warm climates, the plants can grow up to 20 feet high.
Wednesday, Long and fellow agents confiscated several pot plants growing on the side of the road on Sears Ave. in Waveland.
Agents were tipped off to the site as a result of a search warrant served the day before.
Long said a search of a trailer in the Shady Acres trailer park yielded nine marijuana plants plus more than a pound of packaged marijuana, thousands of dollars in cash, and a sawed-off shotgun.
Two subjects were arrested in the bust. One of them, William D. Wilson. 54. of Taklequah, Ok. was also wanted in Missouri and Oklahoma for drug related offenses.
While questioning the subjects, Long learned the location of the marijuana.
"It is a common excuse when suspects say they found it on the side of the road," he said. "This time they were telling the truth."
Long and other agents went to the Sears Ave. site and discovered several additional marijuana plants growing along the side of the road.
Bay St. Louis and Waveland officers assisted in the search, he said.
Long said reports of wild marijuana have been coming in at a steady pace. Last year, the sheriff's department only received two or three calls about wild marijuana all year, he said. This week alone, he said, the narcotics department has three calls.
"If anyone sees any mysterious plants growing, please call us," he said. "Residents do not have to fear getting in trouble if they report wild plants. We will come out and identify the plants and dispose of them."

© 2005 Bay St. Louis Newspapers, Inc.

posted by Leslie @ 9/02/2006 05:02:00 PM