A police photo of the alleged pot-growing operation
AUBURN, CAYUGA CO. -- Police in the Finger Lakes region have arrested two people for what they call a 'sophisticated' pot-growing operation.
According to the Auburn Police Department, the Finger Lakes Drug Task Force had been investigating indoor marijuana growing operations in Cayuga and Onondaga Counties. On Thursday, the investigation culminated with the execution of several search warrants and two arrests.
Police say that in executing the warrants they discovered an "elaborate and sophisticated" indoor marijuana growing operation and seized more than six hundred marijuana plants, several pounds of processed marijuana prepared for resale, more than $23,000 cash, two vehicles, and an all-terrain vehicle.
Two of the men allegedly responsible for this operation were arrested and are being charged with federal marijuana-related offenses. They are Joshua J. Cole of Wall Street in Auburn and Michael A. Calogero of Boscobell Lane in Moravia.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and more charges are likely to follow. They also add that due to federal nature of the alleged crimes, the exact charges and photos of the suspects are not being released to the public at this time.
