Raid nets hundreds of marijuana plants

ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) Hundreds of marijuana plants, some as tall as ten feet, were seized by officials on Saturday and Sunday.

The bust was a result of a five month long multi-agency investigation that Indiana State Police (ISP), the Allen County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The Allen County Drug Task force received a tip about a large outdoor marijuana farming operation near Lake Everett. The task force located that operation as well as several others with the assistance of the ISP Marijuana Eradication team and the DEA.

On Saturday, the Allen County SWAT team raided a home on the 13200 block of Lake Everett Drive. In addition to the plants being grown outdoors, police seized four pounds of marijuana inside the house.

Jason E. Bridges, 32, of Fort Wayne was arrested on felony marijuana possession and dealing charges. As of Monday morning, Bridges was being held without bond in the Allen County Jail.

Allen County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy David Gladieux said the Lake Everett community is so rural, it would be easy to hide a marijuana grow in the middle of a wooded area.

Allen Springer lives a couple houses down from where the raid took place.  He said he suspects there's much more illegal activity going unnoticed.

"It doesn't surprise me that they found something out here," Springer said.  "I just kind of figured you know something's going to happen one of these days."

The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.

The Indiana State Police asks anyone with information on marijuana growing activity in their communities to call toll free at (888) 873-1694.  Anonymous tips are accepted.