Pot plant bust in Superior
Fifty marijuana plants were compensated last week with a search warrant from a resident outside of Superior.
Last week, Mineral County Deputy Jim Balenger, along with two other officers, busted a marijuana operation near Superior.
On Monday, March 21, Balenger said they compensated a little bit over three and a half pounds of dried marijuana and fifty marijuana plants.
Balenger said that prior to arresting the female individual, whose name was not yet being released, that they had information that she was possibly growing marijuana to be sold.
“We went to the house and waited for the search warrant to be processed,” Balenger said. “After the search warrant was processed, we went into the house and located marijuana in a shed, where grow lights were in use. There was marijuana all over the house and basically everywhere.”
Balenger said that the individual was a care giver and under the medical marijuana act and would have been able to have 24 plants, six per card.
“In my opinion, the [law] is not working,” Balenger said. “We’re having quite a bit of trouble with it, but we have to go with what the law says.”
Balenger said that they will have to dry out and weigh the plants. He said that they didn’t use the dog on this case, but did use the opportunity to work in some training.
“Card holders need to go by the law and just have the plants they are supposed to,” Balenger said. “If you don’t, we will find you.”
Balenger added that there is a drug problem in the community and they do have trouble staying on top of it because of short numbers.
In November 2004, Montana passed Initiative 148, allowing certain patients with specific medical conditions to alleviate their symptoms through the limited use of marijuana under medical supervision.
The new law also allows qualified patients and their caregivers to grow and/or possess a restricted number of marijuana plants.
Montana was the tenth state to pass a medical marijuana law. Under federal law, it is still illegal to grow, sell, purchase, or use marijuana, even for health-related reasons. Currently, House Bill 161, which is in the legislature this year, is trying to repeal Initiative 148.