Pot plants seized

Two hundred and twenty-nine marijuana plants were seized in Seneca County as part of the
state's annual marijuana eradication.

According to a release from the Seneca County Drug Task Force - METRICH Enforcement Unit,
law enforcement from throughout the county, as well as law enforcement from Butler County
and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification, conducted the two-day
eradication, which ended Friday.

Sgt. Don Joseph of the Seneca County Sheriff's Office and lead investigator of the eradication,
said 31 plants were seized on the west side of the county Sept. 5 and 198 were confiscated from
the east side Friday.

Street value of the 229 plants is about $229,000, according to the release.

Joseph said this year's eradication resulted in a higher number of plants than in recent previous
years. Last year, about 100 plants were seized.

"It's higher than in recent years past due to poor growing seasons," he said. "We've, in a sense,
almost doubled what we had in previous years."

According to the release, student interns from Tiffin and Heidelberg universities also assisted in
the eradication.

"It gives them a chance to experience the proactive side of law enforcement and a sense of
accomplishment you get from helping your community," Joseph said.

METRICH, along with other local law enforcement agencies, will continue efforts to remove
drugs from Seneca County, the release states, and citizens are encouraged to report suspicious
activity by calling (419) 443-0463.

Originally published in the Advertiser Tribune on September 22, 2012.