THP Assists Drug Task Force Eradicate Huge Marijuana Field

Nashville, Tennessee —The Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted agents with the Third Judicial District Drug Task Force and Greene County Sheriff’s Office Thursday in verifying and clearing a massive marijuana field in Greene County.

“One of four armed suspects guarding the large field was taken into custody this afternoon but three others are still at-large,” said Task Force Director Scott Castle.

A Tennessee Highway Patrol helicopter pilot, assisting the Task Force, helped verify the field and locate the armed suspect after a farmer discovered the plants and notified authorities. The marijuana field is three miles from the Cocke County border, where Monday a THP chopper pilot located a 45-hundred plant field near Newport.

“This is one of the largest marijuana fields I’ve ever seen,” said THP Lieutenant Terry Botts, who has served as a Special Operations pilot since 1990 and 30 years with the Highway Patrol.

The field is 50 to 75 yards wide and between 600 to 700 yards long, with an estimated eight to twelve-thousand plants. The plants range in height from five to fourteen feet, with an estimated street value of approximately one-million dollars.

The Third Judicial District Drug Task Force is made up of law enforcement agents and district attorney’s officers from Greene, Hawkins, Hancock and Hamblen counties.