Late Wednesday evening, the Sterling Heights Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit (CSU) executed a warrant at a home on the 2000 block of Deveere Drive resulting in the closure of a large illegal marijuana grow operation.
This marks the 38th illegal grow operation to be shut down in Sterling Heights in the past two and a half years, according to Police Chief John Berg.
According to Police Chief John Berg, the CSU executed the search warrant on the Deveere Drive residence around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1. One individual was arrested at the scene and two other subjects are potentially facing criminal charges. Police also seized cash, two vehicles, several pounds of marijuana, marijuana plants, and other illegal drugs discovered on-site.
While Medical Marijuana illegal grow operations are now commonplace in neighborhoods across the State, Sterling Heights has adopted a zero tolerance approach.
“Our department has a zero tolerance policy for residential grow operations that are not in compliance the Michigan Marijuana Act,” Chief Berg said. “Every complaint of an illegal grow operation will be aggressively investigated with the objective of eliminating these blights from our neighborhoods.”
Sterling Heights Mayor Michael C. Taylor said he’s glad to see SHPD is continuing its focused enforcement on illegal marijuana grow operations.
“I am proud of our Police Department for their continued diligence to get these illegal grow operations out of our residential areas,” Mayor Taylor said. “This effort not only helps keep our neighborhoods safer, but also our property values high.”
Last July, the Sterling Heights City Council adopted a standing resolution at the request of the SHPD authorizing the City Attorney to file suit in Circuit Court to abate these nuisances. On Oct. 11, the City filed its first Circuit Court action against an individual to abate the public nuisances created by an unregistered grow operation. The City of Sterling Heights hosted a press conference recently following the Circuit Court action to announce its plans for an aggressive crackdown on nuisance marijuana grow operations.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact the City’s Community Relations Director Bridget Kozlowski at (586) 446-2471.