PHOENIX — Detectives from the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office believe they have uncovered one of the largest illegal marijuana grow operations in Phoenix in over a decade.
According to Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, authorities seized hundreds of marijuana plants and a substantial quantity of processed cannabis from a facility near 40th Street and McDowell Road.
The total value of the operation is estimated to be well over $1 million, possibly closer to $2 million, with evidence pointing to a nationwide illegal distribution network.
The bust followed a three-month investigation initiated by a tip from a shipper, which alerted authorities to suspicious activity.
The case has involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including MCSO, Tempe Police Department, Phoenix Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Corrections. The Phoenix and Tempe SWAT teams were also deployed in the raid due to safety concerns and the scale of the operation.
During the raid, investigators also hit a secondary site in Mesa believed to be linked to the same operation. No suspects were found at that location.
According to MCSO, the grow operation may have been fueling an illegal distribution network that shipped all across the country.
Officials believe the operation had been active for several years
The investigation is ongoing. It is unclear if any arrests have been made in the operation.
