Estimated value: $12-17 mil
Law enforcement officers have seized a major marijuana growing operation in northern Lincoln County for reportedly operating illegally and the owner was arrested and is now facing two felony charges.
Pottawatomie and Lincoln County District Attorney Allan Grubb said his Special Operations team along with his District 23 Task Force conducted the investigation.
He mentioned, too, the Sac and Fox, Citizen Potawatomi and Kickapoo Tribal police assisted.
Grubb identified the owner of the property and operation as Sai Ying Linn. She was taken into custody and booked into the Lincoln County Jail in Chandler, he said. Her bond was set at $30,000.
The DA said she was arrested on charges of maintaining a dwelling where narcotics are used or sold and for illegal cultivation of illegal drugs.
“There were 81 grow houses, about 320 plants in each of them. I’m told the marijuana is worth $1,200 a pound, there are around three plants to a pound and we seized approximately 40,000 plants,” he said.
Grubb estimated the total value of the plants at between $12 and $17 million. He noted the operation spanned over 10 acres.
District 3 Lincoln County Commission Chairman Lee Doolen said that while the site is located in District 1 Commissioner Carl Munson’s district, crews from all three districts assisted in going in and gathering up and destroying the marijuana plants.
Marlon Miller is District 2 commissioner.
He said the site was located at 341559 Highway105 which is two miles east of Tryon on SH 105.
The DA explained the Operations team has recently been put into place “and we stumbled across this major operation.”
He said Pottawatomie and Lincoln County commissioners have approved putting in $80,000 from each county to fund the two investigators. “This money is not tax money,” he stressed.
“It’s money from licensing fees from the marijuana growers, dispensers, processors and transporters,” Grubb emphasized.
“This is part of the money legal operations are paying with their licenses.”
He pointed out, “We’re trying to encourage everyone to be legal, do it safely and not injure the environment. It’s designed to encourage a good relationship with the growers, dispensers, processors and transporters,” he said.
“There’s been a lot of confusion between state law, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and Medical Marijuana legislation. No one has really known how to handle this,” the DA believes.
“But after a lot of research, we found we can operate under Title 63 of the state statutes,” explaining his reason for forming the Operations Team. “It’s been a joint effort,” he said.
Grubb continued, “This pilot program will help a lot of agencies across the state on handling this.”
The DA said citizens who suspect illegal growing operations are taking place should contact his office at 405-275-6800 to report the activity. “All I need is an address. The caller who reports this will remain anonymous,” Grubb said.