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Upscale pot grow houses surprising, deputies say

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@tampatrib.com

Published: October 14, 2009

Updated: 10/14/2009 12:55 am

LAND O' LAKES - If the charges stick, marijuana grow houses have gone upscale. Pasco County Sheriff's Office vice and narcotics detectives raided four such houses Tuesday and say it is the first time they have discovered grow houses in homes of this caliber.

The houses are at 3612 Morgans Bluff Court in Plantation Palms, 3115 Downan Point Drive in Ballantrae Village, 1845 Highland Oaks Blvd. in Highland Oaks Preserve and 3962 Lake Joyce Drive in Lake Padgett Estates.

The house in Ballantrae Village had 20 pot plants, the one at Plantation Palms had 71 and the Highland Oaks house had 41 plants, authorities said.
Detectives say they found the most marijuana in the house in Lake Padgett Estates, where 128 plants were growing.

Robert Yates, 33, and Katie Yates, 24, were charged with trafficking in marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Reinaldo Ramirez, 58, was charged with cultivation of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The grow houses investigation is continuing.

A staff report

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