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Raids Net 'Nicest' Pot Plants Deputies Have Seen

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 4, 2008

Hillsborough County deputies say they found marijuana worth nearly $2 million in three grow houses leased by a Brandon man.

Deputies arrested Jesus Ramirez Baro, 32, about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday.

They responded to an anonymous complaint of a grow house at 1502 Bryan Road in Brandon and smelled marijuana, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Inside, she said, they found 208 pounds of marijuana - 40 plants valued at about $875,000 combined.

"Detectives said it was an extremely elaborate grow house," Carter said. "Some of the nicest plants they'd ever seen. They said the plants were extremely well cared for and they were very large."

That investigation led detectives to an adjoining property, 510 Desiree Drive, where they found 40 more marijuana plants, Carter said. The plants were worth $955,000 and weighed a combined 238 pounds.

Investigators then searched a third home, 903 15th St. N.E., Ruskin, where they found 48 small marijuana plants weighing 42 pounds and worth about $168,000.

"It appears Baro is leasing those three residences, where he is also tapped in to the electricity and is stealing the electricity at each residence," Carter said.

Baro was charged with trafficking in marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell and theft of electricity.

He was taken to Orient Road Jail on Wednesday. Bail had not been set.

Carter said the investigation is ongoing and there could be other arrests.

The marijuana grow houses were not tied to Operation Indoor Outlaws, an operation where investigators said this month that they had dismantled about 65 grow houses in Hillsborough and Manatee counties since February. Investigators seized about 5,800 plants and about 3,200 pounds of marijuana from houses stretching from Tampa to Thonotosassa.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691 or jpoltilove@tampatrib.com.

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