Approximately 480 marijuana plants were uprooted and removed from a plot of land in Henry County, Iowa, according to a Facebook Post from the local Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Apparently the hashtag #IfYouSeeSomethingSaySomething is working for them, because “a concerned citizen” reported the plants.
“Thanks to a report from a concerned citizen,” their post read, “This morning the Henry County Sheriff’s Office located & eradicated a marijuana patch of approximately 480 plants in northwestern Henry County. The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind people to report anything suspicious or illegal.”
Four photos posted on Tuesday showed the officers cropping and uprooting the plants, while additional photos depicted the plants piled up high in the back of a trailer, ready to be hauled away by a white flatbed truck.
“That isn’t a grow operation. That is hemp. It grows all over the country naturally, also known as ‘ditch weed,’” commented Josey Jackson.
The majority of the comments on the post were filled with ridicule and amusement. Critics of the operation agreed that the officers merely succeeded in spreading the seeds of the hemp plants, that they were trying to eradicate, all over town, by keeping them exposed during transport.
Paul F. Riddle thought this “mistake” was done on purpose.
“You already let that hemp go to seed,” he wrote. “Upon returning next year, you will find your ‘efforts’ have now seeded an even larger area. Do you have a permit to cultivate hemp? I see officers planting next year’s crop! That trailer dumped hundreds of seeds, guarantee a crop to eradicate next year. Job Security. Well played.”
Donnielle Wanatee concurred, “To eradicate hemp you have to wrap the whole plant and not let the seeds off. Transporting those plants like that, you just seeded everywhere you drove on the way to destroy them. LMAO! Then you’ll use taxpayer’s money next year, to get rid of ditch weed in the areas you just drove. Duh!”
Others critical of the operation remarked that the anonymous tipster might have simply wanted free landscaping done, possibly on his own property.
“At least, while these geniuses were harvesting feral hemp, they weren’t out shooting puppies or homeless people,” said James Babb. “Glad to see the feral hemp cleared.” He continued, “Now please get started on the poison ivy.”
Zac Gayewski agreed, “This is the equivalent of a prohibition officer dumping out a few barrels of non-alcoholic beer. I didn’t know the boys in blue also did landscaping…”
credit:webcache.googleusercontent.com