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More Than 700 Marijuana Plants Seized In Kent County

CHESTERVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Nearly $1.5 million in marijuana. A major drug bust on the Eastern Shore. Police seized hundreds of full grown marijuana plants from an abandoned property in Kent County.

Rick Ritter has more on the investigation police say is far from over.

It's the largest marijuana bust in the history of Kent County, but whoever was behind the operation is what police are still trying to figure out.

Investigators seize hundreds of plants worth more than $1.4 million from a complex marijuana farm along the Eastern Shore.

"I could not believe it. I couldn't believe it," said neighbor Marian Ash.

Two months ago, Maryland State Police discovered a possible growing operation in the area of Chesterville Bridge Road. A 15-acre property sat abandoned, covered in plywood and weeds, with squatters believed to be coming and going.

"They were friendly enough. They'd wave and all that," Maxine Ash said.

It forced investigators to run surveillance on the place and later execute a search warrant.

Police say when they searched the home, they found an indoor growing location and evidence that somebody was staying inside. But it wasn't until they got out back, that they found the marijuana fields, with more than 700 plants.

Some were 10 feet tall--worth more than $1 million, along with a homemade irrigation system.

"This arrest was the largest marijuana seizure in the history of Kent County," said Chief Adrian Baker, Chestertown Police Department.

Marian Kealey lives directly across the street from the house.

"I sort of wondered. I had sort of an idea by then that something wasn't quite right," Kealey said.

She says she always had her suspicions.

"They had a lot of weeds and stuff right outside the kitchen door and I figured something was not right," Kealey said.

Other neighbors are stunned.

"I never thought anything criminal was going on. I was shocked," Ash said.

While the drugs are now in the hands of state police, whoever was running the operation is still on the loose.

Police are staying very tight-lipped about potential suspects, but believe they could be in Delaware.

Police in Kent County and Queen Anne's County assisted with the seizure, along with Maryland State Police and Homeland Security.

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