High-tech marijuana growing operation found in a two mile cave below a house in Tennessee

[LeiZaK]

Text

HARTSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Investigators described a marijuana-growing operation discovered inside a cave in Trousdale County as something out of a James Bond movie.

"It's pretty amazing what they had under there - water for irrigation, special lighting, devices to keep the humidity just right. These guys were professionals. They knew what they were doing," said District Attorney General Tommy Thompson of Hartsville.

The cave was beneath a stylish A-frame home where authorities say three men were able to grow as much as 100 pounds of marijuana every eight weeks.

"They could grow in 60 days what it would take four and a half months to grow outside," Thompson said. "It's just unbelievable what they've done. It's like something out of a James Bond movie."

Arrested on Wednesday were Brian Gibson and Greg Compton, while a third man, Fred Strunk, was arrested near Gainesville, Fla.

All three are in jail, with Gibson and Compton being held in the Trousdale County Jail. Bail was set for Gibson and Compton at $5 million, while Strunk's was set at $15 million, Thompson said. Local authorities were in Florida on Saturday to return Strunk to Tennessee.

The investigation began about five years ago when a home was built above the cave, but it never appeared anyone lived there, Thompson said.

"The front of the cave used to be a hole that you'd crawl into, and it opened up into a pretty big room that was 20-feet high. They cut the side of the hill so you could just drive right into the cave," he said.

The cave, reached from the house via secret entrances, is said to be about two miles long, but the marijuana operation was located about 100 yards inside. Thompson said the other end of the cave had been blocked to keep trespassers out.

According to the prosecutor, the men told locals they were going to be mining statuary rock.

To harvest the illegal crop, Thompson said the men would hire a half-dozen Hispanic workers in Arizona and drive them to Tennessee. For part of the journey the windows on the van would be covered so the workers did not know where they were.

"They would drive right into the cave and let them out to begin working," Thompson said.

 

[Perknose]

Well, they're going to have to turn over a new leaf now.

 

[Encryptic]

:Q

 

[Queasy]

Who knew the state of Tennessee had a group of evil geniuses?

 

[Mrfrog840]

R

 

[deepred98]

those are some pretty smart hillbillies

 

[Arkitech]

I wonder how they got caught

 

[Chunkee]

we here in Tenn, take pride in the cultivation of God's finest plant.

jC

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: deepred98
those are some pretty smart hillbillies

my thoughts exactly!

-=bmacd=-

 

[cherrytwist]

Originally posted by: Arkitech
I wonder how they got caught

The investigation began about five years ago when a home was built above the cave, but it never appeared anyone lived there, Thompson said.

 

[Viper GTS]

It's interesting to me that the cops caught onto it so early but waited so long to bust it.

Viper GTS

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
It's interesting to me that the cops caught onto it so early but waited so long to bust it.

Viper GTS

They were on the take

plain and simple

jC

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: Perknose
Well, they're going to have to turn over a new leaf now.

:laugh::thumbsup:

 

[HamburgerBoy]

R

 

[jadinolf]

I'm in Ventura county California. They grow the stuff hidden under the orange trees.

I'm sure it's our largest cash crop.

 

[paulney]

I think it'd be pretty obvious to notice even if the house was occupied. Electricity bills: heating lamps draw lots of power. I'm sure local electric company reports suspicious energy bills to the authorities.

 

[Cooler]

The cave trolls reported them as they could not sleep at night.

 

[ArmchairAthlete]

I want a 2 mile secret cave.

 

[RollWave]

wow that would be really cool to see....

 

[Ulfwald]

Dang, I would buy the place and start a hydroponic gardening operation. See if I could turn it into a LEGAL operation and make money at it

 

[UNCjigga]

Man, I'd love to grow marijuana with professional equipment etc. for personal use only. I mean, I'm no horticulturalist or "green thumb" but it sounds like a fun plant to experiment with...you can grow it naturally or hydroponically, and so many different seed varieties and hybrids and cross-pollination things to work out. It'd make a great pet project!

If only it were legal to grow (not sell/distribute...)

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Ulfwald
Dang, I would buy the place and start a hydroponic gardening operation. See if I could turn it into a LEGAL operation and make money at it

Watch for the property at http://www.stealitback.com and http://www.governmentauction.com and you just might be able to do so

 

[PandaBear]

What if they generate their own electricity, do you think the utility will still report suspicious activity?

 

[BabaBooey]

Originally posted by: Chunkee
we here in Tenn, take pride in the cultivation of God's finest plant.

jC

Note to self....Must visit chunkee....SOON ...





That was a hell of a setup though,two cheers for bubba ray... :thumbsup:

 

[MisterJackson]

This reminds me of a story where some guys did a similar setup in a room the excavated under a hill. How'd they get caught you say? The heat from the lighting thawaed the ground and when it snowed that hill stayed clear. They brought in a chopper with thermal/infared gear and the rest is history....