cannabisnews.com: Four Men Arrested in Marijuana Bust Four Men Arrested in Marijuana Bust Posted by FoM on March 09, 2000 at 08:58:56 PT By Mark Mathis, Staff Writer Source: Augusta Chronicle Richmond County sheriff's narcotics investigators made one of their biggest busts in recent memory when a building in south Augusta turned out to house the most elaborate marijuana manufacturing operation authorities say they've ever found.Investigators seized 1,188 marijuana plants, $8,000 cash and drug ledgers, along with pieces of expensive manufacturing equipment from the building at 1302 Clark Drive. An exact weight or value of the drugs seized wasn't available Wednesday, but with each plant creating a half-pound of high-grade marijuana to be sold at $2,500 a pound, sales were generating hundreds of thousands of dollars, sheriff's Lt. Robert Partain said.``If he had been in business a little longer, he could probably be making in the multimillions of dollars,'' Lt. Partain said.Ronald William Hall, 50, and his son Ronald Shadrick Hall, 26, both of North Augusta, and Ricky Lewis Davie, 36, of Hephzibah, were charged with manufacturing and trafficking marijuana, Lt. Partain said. David Charles Dean, 41, of North Augusta was charged with manufacturing marijuana.The elder Mr. Hall was the mastermind behind the operation, which started in September, Lt. Partain said. His son and Mr. Dean assisted, and Mr. Davie, who lived across the street from the manufacturing center, acted as lookout, Lt. Partain said.Based on an anonymous tip received two weeks ago, investigators moved in on the building at 6 p.m. Tuesday and discovered the extensive manufacturing and trafficking operation, Lt. Partain said.Ronald William Hall began leasing the land from a Graniteville man in February 1999 and constructed the $25,000 building in June that housed the manufacturing operation.Payments made for the property's lease, building's construction and technical supplies were made in cash, Lt. Partain said.But while the amount of drugs seized was significant, investigators said they were amazed by the technical and manufacturing expertise in the operation.Manufacturing the marijuana was done in four stages in five rooms, Lt. Partain said.Fifteen mature ``mother plants'' were housed in two climate-controlled rooms. Leaves from the plants would be taken to a cloning room, where a hydroponics system and temperature-controlled lights allowed the leaves to germinate.Once the young plants were a couple of inches tall, they were planted in soil under bright, temperature-controlled lights in a growing room.A detailed calendar was made for the seven trays in the room, each with 112 plants in it, designating days for fertilization.After the buds ripened, the plants would be placed in a humidor and dried in a processing room for selling.``I've never seen anything like it in the 14 years I've worked narcotics here,'' Lt. Partain said.Ronald William Hall is not a novice in marijuana manufacturing, authorities said. Investigators discovered a similar but much smaller operation in his home at 683 Crestlyn Drive.``We don't know how long he's been in business. But by looking at his expertise in this building, he's definitely not new to this,'' Lt. Partain said.Investigators were sorting through the equipment Wednesday to estimate the operation's cost. The 23 high-powered lights in the building cost more than $600 each.The suspects have cooperated in the investigation except for providing names of people who bought marijuana from them, Lt. Partain said.Authorities don't know how many counties or states received the group's marijuana. Aiken County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina's State Law Enforcement Division, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Department of Defense Counter-Drug Task Force are assisting in the investigation.Reach Mark Mathis at (706) 823-3227 or marmathis yahoo.comPublished: March 9, 2000©Copyright The Augusta Chronicle. Related Articles:Man Arrested in Pot Bust Says He Grew for Himselfhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2842.shtmlGrowers Take Pot Plants Indoorshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread1262.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 06, 2002 at 11:28:10 PT vic I'm not from Canada so I don't know how your laws are. We have a rental property and we have been hassled about utility bills the tenants left. As long as the tenant gets the electric utility in their name, which we require, they are responsible. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by vic on August 06, 2002 at 11:22:13 PT: theft of electricity by tenant A former tenant operated a crime of hydroponics labs in my rental property. The Hydro is claiming the cost of the theft of electricity from me the landlord.I feel this unfair, as Hydro had definite business relationship with its client the former tenant.Can anyone share their experiences or advices on how to fight this with the local hydro company so that I can get my power back?Vic.vivolife yaoo.ca [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Dr. Ganj on March 09, 2000 at 18:46:42 PT Who Writes This Bunk? Here's another ignorant quote:"but with each plant creating a half-pound of high-grade marijuana"Oh, please. When will these morons get their facts straight?Dr. Ganj http://www.hightimes.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Underling on March 09, 2000 at 11:23:18 PT Germinating leaves? "Leaves from the plants would be taken to acloning room, where a hydroponics system and temperature-controlled lights allowed the leaves to germinate."God, these people are stupid. 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