The Schoharie County Sheriff's office is poised to make an arrest after seizing about 100 mature marijuana plants and more than 100 pounds of processed marijuana from a property near Eminence Road in the Town of Summit.
As of Tuesday afternoon, police said no arrests had been made in the seizure, which was made early last week. The seizure has been described as the largest in recent memory.
Police said they know the identity of the property owner and the investigation is continuing.
Though a dollar value has not yet been placed on the amount of drugs seized, an investigator said the processed marijuana could sell for as much as $5,000 per pound, making the haul worth up to more than $500,000.
The Drug Enforcement Agency and the District Attorney's office will be consulted for the actual "street value" of the drugs, officials said.
In addition, the mature plants, which ranged from four to six feet in height, were ready to be harvested at any time, according to Sheriff's Investigator Nelson Armlin.
He described the drugs as "very good quality."
Investigator Armlin said it was also the most he had ever seen in 15 years.
Sheriff's officials stored the haul in an outbuilding overnight behind the safety facility and displayed the seizure on Thursday morning.
There was a 20-foot wall of nine piles of plants backed by another wall, 15 feet long by at least three feet high, of hundreds of gallon bags of processed marijuana. Some of the bags had been vacuum sealed, police said.
A table contained bags and jars of seeds and a jar of coffee that was mistakenly seized. Under the table were dozens of paper bags of loose marijuana.
Police seized the processed marijuana and seeds from a structure near where the plants were being grown, said Sheriff Tony Desmond.
"This is the largest amount I've ever seen in one location," Sheriff Desmond said, who has had a long career as a State Trooper before becoming Sheriff.
He said that air patrols by the Air National Guard helped locate the drugs.
Once found, those responsible would face charges of criminal possession of marijuana, a Class C felony, Sheriff Desmond said.
Officials said the drugs were seized from a long established operation and obviously more than just for personal, recreational use.
"You're talking a black-market type thing," said county District Attorney James Sacket.
"Obviously this is a large- scale operation and way beyond personal use.
"It certainly can be distributed far and wide. It's much more than growing plants in your back yard."
Some of the drugs seized might have been grown in past years, officials said.
Having so much processed marijuana in one location is very unusual, Mr. Sacket said.
"This has been a systematic, ongoing process, going on for years.
"The amount of processed marijuana is unbelievable."
The drugs, after being documented by the District Attorney's office, will be buried or incinerated, police said.
Sheriff Desmond said the operation is apparently not connected with other recent seizures in the county, though the growers may have known each other.
"They grow on their own and are hoping their competition doesn't come and steal it," Sheriff Desmond said.
Along with the marijuana arrests and seizure in the county, Mr. Sacket said he is very concerned with the spread of heroin and prescription drugs.
Also increasing is the illegal use of bath salts and spices, he said.