Grow house bust yields $1 million in pot plants; 2 arrested

By Gregan Wingert

Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012 | 8:28 p.m.

Two men are in custody and one suspect is at large Thursday night after police busted an alleged marijuana grow house in the south Las Vegas Valley and uncovered more than $1 million worth of pot.

Metro Police and SWAT were among the agencies that responded to the house near Valley View Boulevard and Southern Highlands Parkway, said Lt. Laz Chavez, of Metro’s narcotics section.

Concerned neighbors alerted authorities to the house at 3716 Casellina Court, Chavez said.

After putting the home under surveillance police did a warranted search around 6:30 p.m. and discovered about 400 marijuana plants with a street value of about $3,000 each, Chavez said.

Judging by the growth of the plants, Chavez said the indoor operation had been at least 4 months old.

“It’s very sophisticated,” Chavez said.

Exposed wires, pesticides and chemicals were also found inside the house, he said.

“It’s a fire hazard,” he said. “Wires all over the place makes it very dangerous.”

Two men in their late 40s and early 50s were arrested, Chavez said. Police have identified and are searching for one more suspect in the operation who remains at large.

Authorities are at the scene investigating.