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Courtesy photos/VCSO. These photos taken by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office show marijuana plants being cultivated in grow houses that were seized Wednesday in raids in Osteen and DeLeon Springs.
OSTEEN -- A tip to Volusia County narcotics agents led to raids Wednesday on three large-scale marijuana growing operations and the seizure of drugs with a street value of $5.6 million, the Sheriff's Office said.
Two people were arrested and more than a 1,000 marijuana plants along with 78.5 pounds of cultivated marijuana, cash and two firearms also were seized in the operation.
Two of the indoor marijuana grow houses were in Osteen and the third was located in DeLeon Springs. Agents have been investigating activity at 230 River Oaks Drive in Osteen since receiving a tip in January.
On Wednesday, agents moved in with a search warrant and located 317 marijuana plants, 65 pounds of cultivated marijuana and a rifle. The find led them to 752 N. S.R. 415 in Osteen, where an even larger growing operation was discovered. At that location, agents seized 558 marijuana plants, 13.5 pounds of cultivated marijuana, a pistol and $3,800 in cash. And a site at 6004 Winning Woods Trail yielded a total of 166 plants.
"Investigators believe the three grow houses were run by the same organization, and additional arrests are expected," Sheriff's spokesman Gary Davidson said. "Agents hauled away the marijuana and dismantled the grow operations, seizing a variety of equipment such as fans, air filters, lights, chemicals and electrical timers."
The following two people were arrested on Wednesday:
* Harold Barnes, 29, 230 River Oaks Drive, Osteen. Charged with manufacture of marijuana, trafficking in marijuana, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, trafficking in marijuana plants and possession of drug paraphernalia.
* Ethan Fisher, 26, 752 N. S.R. 415, Osteen. Charged with manufacture of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, armed trafficking, possession of marijuana over 20 grams and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Wednesday's operation was conducted by two multi-agency task forces that share resources and crosses jurisdictional boundaries to combat street-level drug and vice crimes.
Participating agencies include the Volusia County Sheriff's Office and the DeLand, Daytona Beach, Edgewater, New Smyrna Beach and Ormond Beach police departments. The Volusia Bureau of Investigation also assisted.