$100,000 Worth of Marijuana Busted - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

$100,000 Worth of Marijuana Busted

by Phil Prazan

pprazan@myabc5.com

@PhilPrazan

Des Moines police have announced a major drug bust: more $100,000 worth of drugs found in a single home.

Police made several arrests in the bust yesterday. Various drug charges were handed out to Matthew and Julia Jones, and Phaly Tuon, including marijuana manufacturing and intent to deliver.
 
Also arrested at the same home was Kevin and Deena Foust; both charged with drug possession.

Des Moines police described this as catching the top of the pyramid.

In all 150 marijuana plants were taken with the end goal to distribute it on the street.

When the narcotics team investigated what was inside 1012 Leland Ave, they found $50,000 dollars worth of hydroponic growing equipment.  This type of system doesn't use soil but grows the plants using an all water system.

Neighbors say the house didn't seem suspicious but it did have more traffic than the other houses on the street.

Des Moines police says this system takes a long time to set up.
 
"Lights, tents, timers, all kinds of things like that, chemical sprayers.  So each plant is kind of in it's own controlled environment.  This is where it all began.  This is the production of it.  So this is sort of the top of the pyramid," says Sgt. Jason Halifax with the Des Moines Police Department.

Small amounts of cocaine and meth were found alongside two loaded guns.  Police believe these were for personal use and not for distribution.