Casper Police Bust Large Pot-Growing Operation

Casper Police seized about 50 marijuana plants in a warehouse in north Casper on Friday evening, an officer said.

Officers were in the neighborhood of North Jackson Streets and Burlington Avenue for an investigation about 5 p.m. when they smelled the odor of fresh marijuana, Sgt. Dan Dundas said.

"They followed their noses and it alerted them to the building to my left, 444 North Jackson," Dundas said.

"A search warrant was obtained; we executed it about 1800 -- 6 p.m. -- and located a marijuana-growing (operation)," he said.

Police found about 50 plants from infant clones up to mature marijuana-producing plants, Dundas said.

The plants and other illegal contraband were seized, he said.

No arrests have been made, but police do have one suspect, who is probably local to Casper, he said.

Potential charges would be felonies: a growing operation and possession of more than three ounces, Dundas said.

The neighbors were grateful, he said.

"We've actually had people in the neighborhood come up and thank us because they've complained of the smell of marijuana getting sucked into their houses via their AC (air conditioning) units or swamp coolers," Dundas said. "Or as one resident complained, 'poisoning the air' in their house."

Six officers and three or four detectives responded to the incident, he said.

So far, the case is in the police department's jurisdiction, and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is not involved, Dundas said.

"If it were large enough to show any interstate trafficking, things like that, the DCI obviously would take over," he said. "At this point it seems to be a smaller growing operation."