It was the mother lode of all drug busts. New Haven police found more than 100 marijuana plants in one house on Wednesday and its street value is estimated at more than $500,000.
The building owner gave detectives a tip about some strange plants growing on the roof of the home on Dwight Street. When cops got there, it was hard not to see all of the marijuana growing from five-gallon pots.
“It’s really scary when you think about it. He always seemed like a nice guy. Now we find out we were sharing a house with a drug dealer and grower. It’s hard to wrap your head around,” Ravi Ramani, of New Haven, said.
When police got a look inside, the bust grew even more lucrative. Inside one of the nine apartments, they found dozens more plants, ranging from seedlings to 4-foot plants. Then, they found the secret room.
Yes, there really was a secret room that contained tens of thousands of dollars worth of weed, a sophisticated water system, heating lamps and Miracle Grow. Cops say it's without a doubt one of their biggest busts ever.
“This is was definitely a good one. Classification: great!” Officer Joe Avery, of the New Haven Police Department, said.
Officers arrested Michael Desbiens, 34, of New Haven. He tried running from detectives, but was caught after a short chase, police said. He’s facing a long list of charges and is being held on a $350,000 bond.
