SANTA ROSA COUNTY

SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sheriff Wendell Hall

Landlord Leads Deputies To Large Sophisticated Indoor Marijuana Grow House In Navarre

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division executed a search warrant last night in an upscale neighborhood after receiving information from a landlord about an indoor marijuana grow house operation. Deputies were dispatched to 9419 Bone Bluff Drive in Navarre , after the homeowner (who is active duty military) attempted to make contact with the tenant that is renting his home. The homeowner had been attempting to contact his tenant over a period of time without success. The homeowner then went to the residence and entered the front door. As soon as he entered, he noticed that his entire house had been converted into an indoor marijuana grow house operation. The homeowner immediately contacted the Sheriff's Office to tell of his findings. Narcotics Deputies then obtained a search warrant which was executed last night. When deputies searched the premises, they also discovered that a large detached garage had also been converted into an indoor marijuana grow house. The setup was elaborate, consisting of numerous large grow lights, cooling systems with elaborate duct work, irrigation systems, Ozone machines, timers, and a CO2 tank that funneled gases into the grow rooms. Some rooms had been converted into "potting rooms" in which numerous fertilizers and potting soil was found in large bins. The tenant was no where to be found. Deputies are aware of the identity of the tenant; however the name of the individual is not being given due to the ongoing investigation. 282 marijuana plants were located, with the majority being very mature and reading for harvest. The home was in poor condition due to the operation and sustained an extensive amount of damage consisting of modifications and mold. This is the largest and most complex indoor grow operation that the Sheriff's Office has ever located. Photographs from the scene are attached to this email. No other information is available at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Press Release By:

Sgt. Scott Haines

Media Relations Unit

(850) 981-2136 or shaines@srso.net